In the last six months, 71 criminal cases for manifestations of corruption have been initiated against employees of the Ministry of Interior by the Internal Protection and Anti-Corruption Service (SPIA). In 42 criminal cases, employees with special status within the MIA are targeted for committing the crimes of passive corruption, influence peddling, abuse of power or abuse of office and illicit enrichment, informs a press release of the Ministry of Interior.

On these cases, SPIA is working with the Prosecutor General’s Office, the National Anti-Corruption Centre, etc. In criminal cases, 76 persons have been or continue to be documented, of which 54 (71%) are current and former civil servants with special status in the Ministry of Interior and 21 (29%) civil servants without special status or civilians. Out of the total of 54 employees/ex-employees of the MIA, 37 are officers, i.e. they actually constitute 69% of MIA employees, involved in corruption offences, the remaining 31%, i.e. 17 employees, are non-commissioned officers.

The Ministry also notes that there is an increased flow of resignations at the leadership level, following the introduction of new requirements for employee integrity. The data was presented in the SPIA’s activity report for the first 6 months of 2022. SPIA’s analysis also shows that the system’s main vulnerability to corruption is due to low pay levels.

“When I took office as minister, I said that people who break the law have no place in the internal affairs system. Many of those who knew they had integrity problems left the system on their own. I know that salaries are low, and that is a major determinant of integrity violations. We are working to raise salaries as much as we can, but a low salary does not justify an act of corruption, especially for those of us in the internal affairs system who are law enforcement bodies,” said Interior Minister Ana Revenco at the presentation of the SPIA report.