Vlad Plahotniuc brought back to court

Former PDM leader Vlad Plahotniuc was escorted again on Thursday in front of the court, where the third defense witness in the "bank fraud" case, in which he is accused, will be heard. Former prime minister Vlad Filat is also present at the hearing.

Yesterday, Vlad Filat wrote that he will personally attend all sessions of this trial and will be willing to provide public comments on the statements of witnesses heard in court.


“I cannot accept that people who have caused the state immense damage by depleting the National Bank and the entire banking system escape criminal responsibility,” he wrote.


Today, in front of the panel of judges, the third witness from the "billion theft" case, Ion Ropot, former special administrator of BEM, is presented.

Yesterday, former president of the Legislature, Andrian Candu, who is also the godson of the former democratic leader, Vlad Plahotniuc, testified before the court.

Upon leaving the hearing, Andrian Candu refused to make statements to the press.


“I am no longer a public figure, please excuse me, but I will not make any statement,” he said.


Meanwhile, prosecutor Alexandru Cernei stated that the former president of the Parliament, heard as the second defense witness, did not present relevant statements for the subject of the case.


“Andrian Candu was heard as a witness. Regarding the subject of the case under examination, we consider that he did not provide relevant statements. He recounted his perspective on the bank fraud and the political, economic, and social situation of that period,” explained the prosecutor.


At the same time, the prosecutor communicated that Andrian Candu has the status of an accused in an episode of the bank fraud case.


“The court informed him of his right to refuse to testify. He agreed to testify as a witness, but not concerning the episode that involves him,” said Cernei.


On Monday, former head of Victoriabank, Natalia Politov-Cangaș, testified. She stated that she did not receive instructions from Vlad Plahotniuc regarding the granting of credits and did not confirm that the company Zenit Management LP belonged to him.

Vlad Plahotniuc was arrested at the end of July in Greece and extradited to the Republic of Moldova on September 25, being immediately placed under arrest. He is accused in a case involving bank fraud, publicly known as the "billion theft."