The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA), the National Anti-Corruption Centre (CNA) and the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) raided members and activists of the “ȘOR” party in several localities across the country on Thursday, 20 October. Veronica Dragalin, chief prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) says that a total of 55 searches are being carried out.

The head of the PA also mentions that during the searches “20 black bags with the same emblems were seized”, on which are the names of districts. In total, according to Veronica Dragalin, “about 3.5 million lei were collected from these bags today”. The amounts collected include lei and dollars.

According to the latest data, 24 people have been detained as of 17:00.

“The prosecution group continued its investigation and the accumulation of evidence. These measures included wiretaps, which captured conversations between persons responsible for distributing the money and persons who accepted the money to pay for the activities of protesters and other expenses of the “ȘOR” political party throughout the country. Over the course of several months, in the process of investigation, several persons responsible for distributing large amounts of cash throughout Moldova were identified, as well as the persons who received the cash.

Cash payments were documented to personnel who were transported to the capital to participate in protests in front of the Presidency and Parliament buildings. The investigation used information from investigative journalists to document these types of payments.

(…) On the basis of the evidence gathered, the AP and the prosecution identified the way in which the money was transmitted by the organized criminal group to finance the political party “ȘOR” and, in particular, to cover the expenses of transportation and participation of organized persons in the protests. Yesterday evening (19 October, editor’s note), starting at 11pm, three prosecutors from the PA and several CNA, SIS and PA officers conducted visual surveillance to document the distribution of money by suspected cash distributors throughout the country.

At 5 a.m., one person was identified with a bag, who left the city of Chisinau and moved to the north of the country. At around 7 a.m., the person was caught in the act while transmitting money to a leader of the district territorial organization of the “ȘOR” political party. In the course of the day, 55 searches were carried out at the homes and means of transport of several suspects, which are still ongoing.

In several locations, we collected 20 black bags with the same emblems. The bags have a white label with hand-written words on them, with district names. In total, we estimate that about 3.5 million lei have been collected from these bags today. (…) The amounts collected include lei and dollars. The prosecution has documented the same method of money distribution in previous weeks. We therefore believe that this amount of money, approximately 3.5 million lei, represents weekly expenses. To date, approximately eight people have been detained. The prosecution is continuing,” said Veronica Dragalin, chief prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA).

The leader of the “ȘOR” Party, fugitive MP Ilan Șor, announced on Thursday, 20 October, that the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA), the National Anti-Corruption Centre (CNA) and the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) raided members and activists of the “ȘOR” Party in several localities across the country.

“In terrible fear of protests, at the government’s direction, representatives of law enforcement institutions undertook a special mission this morning. Only this one is not related to the search for Spînu’s, Recean’s or bandits’ money, but is related to the “ȘOR” Party.

Specifically, in several localities of the country, dozens of searches were carried out by prosecutors, CNA and SIS officers, at members and activists of the “ȘOR” Party,” wrote Șor on his Facebook page.

Since 18 September, members and supporters of the “Șor” party have been gathering every Sunday for “anti-government” protests in the centre of the capital. People, mostly elderly, have been brought to the protests from several districts of the country. After the first protest, several tents were set up in the alley in front of parliament.

Four ZdG reporters infiltrated the ranks of “Shor” Party protesters on the eve of the September 18 rally in Chisinau. Three of the reporters, a few days after taking part in the protest, were paid 400 lei each by the people responsible for recruiting the protesters, the so-called “patratiste”. The money was received in various locations in Orhei, and the whole process was filmed and documented by ZdG.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)