Iulian Muntean says not let himself be intimidated, to carry through mandate of member of Superior Council of Magistracy

Chisinau, 21 September /MOLDPRES/ - A member of the Superior Council of Magistracy, (CSM), appointed by the parliament, Iulian Muntean, has come up with a reaction to the information which had appeared in media, on his record in a criminal file, opened by the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) on corruption deeds in 2018.     

„This so-called file was concocted at an order by the regime of Plahotniuc as a way of people’s intimidation before elections. On the period of the seized state, everything was possible: to make searches to you, to intimidate you, if you disagree with the so-called ‘’rules’’ of his regime or, for instance, if you refuse to get involved in the electoral campaign in favour of the Democratic Party,’’ Muntean wrote.     

According to Muntean, in the summer of 2018, he was subjected to a search, in the wake of which ‘’nothing illegal was detected.’’ ‘’They just  took a laptop, two mobile phones and financial means of insignificant value, preserved in the safe, which were subsequently returned in ten days. Being invited to PA (in September 2018) and after they had presented me the so-called ordinance of bringing a charge against me, I told them that I was not involved in any scheme and this was my first and last contact with PA.’’     

Iulian Muntean says that, following the elections from February 2019, there had been no information on this file (it is about the case of lecturers from the Academy of Economic Studies (ASEM), in the wake of which criminal charges were brought against more employees of the institution). ‘And as far as I know, no file (no person) out of those 80 was sent to court, not to speak about any conviction.’’       

„Taking into account all these circumstances, I cannot but ascertain that the goal of this information is to intimidate me. But, just as I refused the involvement in the 2019 election campaign in favour of the Democratic Party and subsequently, ‘’by accident,’’ I faced a search at my home on behalf of Plahotniuc’s prosecutor’s office, I state that I will not let myself be intimidated and will keep exercising the mandate of CSM member, putting on the forefront the law and the public interest,’’ Muntean stressed.    

On 20 September, more information sources wrote about the fact that journalist Iulian Muntean, recently appointed by the parliament as member of the Superior Council of Magistracy, is reported as accused person in a corruption file. The Pre-Vetting Commission, which verified him, says it was not informed on the existence of this file. The Commission notes that it will notify the competent authorities on the pending criminal procedures as to candidate Muntean, in order to clear up the situation. The National Anticorruption Centre has already provided the Commission with details on this case.        

Iulian Muntean is licenced lawyer and member of Moldova’s Union of Lawyers since 2011. In 2009, he got the title of PhD in law. On 7 September 2023, the parliament appointed Muntean as member of the Supreme Council of Magistracy.