EU Reporter: Moldovan people feel let down by Europe

Fragments from the interview of Andrei Nastase to EU Reporter of 5 December 2015 "Moldovan people feel let down by Europe". The full article is here.

The central idea of this interview is that the EU bodies have been duly notified about the captured state and its unmistakable symptom (the raider attacks) since 2011, but those EU bodies have been deliberately turning the blind eye on this defiant disdain for the rule of law in a country-signatory of the EU Association Agreement nevertheless. The interview below contains links to the documents, showing the date of notifications.

EU Reporter: You have collected a large dossier on the alleged criminal activities of Vladimir Plahotniuc. Do you think it is possible to use those documents and information to file a criminal case against him?

Andrei Nastase: All the information collected by us is essential, especially for Moldovan prosecutors, because most of Plahotniuc’s criminal wrongdoings were committed inside Moldova – raider attacks, expropriations, massive money laundering and many other crimes. But there are also international connections to be investigated. For instance, in the case of money laundering, the amount of money that came through Moldova exceeded €20 billion – this information must be considered by all law-enforcement bodies, all over the world who are concerned with this situation.
However, as long as the Prosecutor General is under the control of Plahotniuc, filing criminal cases against him in Moldova is absolutely futile. Our multiple attempts were rejected, although we have presented irrefutable evidence. To properly investigate crimes perpetrated by Plahotniuc, the public prosecution and the judiciary should be independent, which is not the case in modern Moldova.

So, in what way might it be possible to attract the attention of EU officials who deal with Moldova on the Association Agreement and things like that to appraise them of the critical situation of a company that has been captured by Plahotniuc?

We have informed the EU and its structures. And all my active colleagues from the civil society have also notified all European and American bodies concerned. And we did this publicly as well. I can give you one example as regards the raider attacks of 2010-2011, committed by Plahotniuc: I have informed all structures concerned; I have submitted detailed description; I have attached all supportive evidence. I have also notified the international bodies about massive money laundering. In 2014, I published my memo to all concerned institutions and submitted evidence that proves Plahotniuc’s involvement. Everyone knew about this, but no action has been taken.

So, can we be clear then, the EU knows about it, but is ignoring it?

One thing I can tell you for sure, they know about this. It is rather suspect that the EU is still hesitant to react, although they are well informed for more than five years. They say the EU is turning the blind eye on that because of some “geopolitical reasons”, but the EU must also notice that its reputation has been severely affected in the eyes of Moldovans.

So, let me just be clear then, there is a massive amount of EU money going to Moldova, which is being laundered and stolen by one man?

I think it wouldn’t be right to say that it is all technically performed by one man. We can tell for sure that Plahotniuc unipersonally controls all branches of power in Moldova, including the Prosecutor General’s Office, the judiciary, the National Anticorruption Centre, other state agencies without which neither the theft of one billion euros, nor the massive money laundering would be possible. The whole political establishment is also involved in this crime of the century, and is also under Plahotniuc’s control. Therefore in Moldova nobody doubts that he is the main beneficiary of the stolen money and other massive scams, like money laundering. The other participants are acting at Plahotniuc’s command, for fees and bribes, but nobody else in Moldova can organize and fulfil thefts on such scale, when the key state institutions are accomplices.

So what can be done, what would you propose should be done to make Europe and the US finally realize the tragedy of Moldova and liberate the people from the tyranny of this man?

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe reconfirmed that Moldova as a captured state. However I don’t think that all of Europe realizes the magnitude of the tragedy in Moldova. Plahotniuc is a sort of Yanukovych for Moldova. I have recently sent a letter to European bodies, asking them to impose sanctions on Plahotniuc and his acolytes, to freeze their accounts and assets in the EU and USA, to make them persona non grata. The EU and USA proceeded in a similar situation with the Ukrainian and Russians oligarchs. Enforcing sanctions is unavoidable, and the sooner the EU is going to react, the better for the Moldovan people, the more stolen funds can be recovered.

How can you do that?

The stolen money is traceable up to the final account. For this we need the cooperation with the international law-enforcing institutions. We have enough evidence to start investigations, which will result in indictments, but we cannot do it instead of the authorized agencies. Plahotniuc has to be brought to justice, on European level.

How many people have to live in exile or fear until that happens?

Yes, there are many innocent people who had to flee their country to escape reprisals commanded by Plahotniuc. People are expecting that Plahotniuc will be arrested one day. This will mark the beginning of democratization in Moldova, whereas he subjugated the entire country. The EU ex-commissionaire Fule stated that Plahotniuc privatized the state institutions and uses them as weapons. It is similar to Yanukovych in Ukraine.

Can I ask you about the British, European and Scottish courts? Would there be any possibility to progress with this approach, or with Interpol? What would be the situation there?

English and Scottish Courts’ decisions are crucial for this case, because they have proven that Plahotniuc is the beneficiary of the stolen money and assets. Based on their decisions, our Prosecutor General’s Office was supposed to commence criminal cases against Plahotniuc, but they never did it. They have all these decisions, but they have never followed them up. Because they cannot act against their master. Our requests and notifications have been there since 2010, but they have done nothing.

Plahotniuc has been under the Interpol’s monitoring for participating in criminal organizations and for money laundering since 2007. But Interpol has to communicate with Moldovan authorities, with the Prosecutor General’s Office of Moldova. In this specific case, it is identical to communicate with Plahotniuc himself, with the one being monitored.

There is a simple thing that should be done – first and foremost, we need to change the Prosecutor General so that he or she be independent, we need to oust the one who is controlled by Plahotniuc, Corneliu Gurin, and put in his place an independent Prosecutor General, and then things will start to move in the right direction. We have even suggested that the Prosecutor General be from the EU.

In Moldova, the Prosecutor General is being appointed or dismissed by the Chairman of the Parliament. Who is the Chairman of the Parliament? The godson of Plahotniuc, Andrian Candu.

There are many people ready to fight, but there are also a majority who fear Plahotniuc. Anyone can be arrested and jailed. Plahotniuc also dominates the media. More than 80% belong to him. With such a media force, he can turn any of his opposers into criminals. As concerns my clients, Victor Topa and Viorel Topa, after Plahotniuc stole their shares in the banks, he fabricated criminal cases against them, and they had to flee the country. All the media owned by Plahotniuc immediately declared them as being criminals.

History has examples of getting rid of odious leaders – do you think there is a political will in Europe to get rid of Plahotniuc?

Some of the high-ranking EU officials have already pointed at Plahotniuc as the main problem Moldova has to get rid of. Even if they are stating it in their diplomatic language. There is more and more such political will. However, it is not yet enough. I believe that Plahotniuc will not last for much longer, there is very little time left for him. But to get rid of Plahotniuc, we still need clear messages from the EU and USA – that they do not support such a ruler, that they support the Moldovan people, they support their right to live normal, decent lives; a clear message that the EU is on the part of the people of Moldova rather than on the part of their oppressor.

Do you think therefore that the EU will have to admit it was wrong?

I do not know if the EU has to admit it was wrong. What the EU has to do is to react, to stop ignoring the Moldovan realities. People in Moldova must see that neither Plahotniuc and his entourage, nor their crimes (such as the theft of €1 billion) are supported by Europe, that Plahotniuc and his gang are not welcome in Europe.

So the story really is that the Moldovan people feel let down by Europe?

Yes, sure, Moldovan people feel let down by Europe. In 2009, 73% were pro-European, and now 63% are against and only 37% for.

If Plahotniuc were to go, would you be happy to see him go into the distance with all his money, or would you want him brought to justice?

He should be brought to justice, definitely, pay back all the stolen money and restore assets, give them back to the people and be liable for his crimes. I know that Plahotniuc humiliated our state, humiliated Moldovan people, persecuted and tortured them, therefore he should be held accountable for what he has done.

Full interview is here.