National Anticorruption Centre makes searches in file on corruption, forgery of public documents when getting Moldovan citizenship

Chisinau, 3 June /MOLDPRES/ - Anticorruption officers today make searches in a file on corruption and forgery of public documents. Within the file, they prosecute the illegal actions of people involved in the facilitation of the process of getting Moldova’s citizenship by foreign citizens, preponderantly from Russia.   

The actions are carried out after more cases of illicit acquiring of the Moldovan citizenship were reported by the leadership of the Public Services Agency (ASP) at the National Anticorruption Centre (CNA).

Thus, during 2022-2024, more foreign citizens intended to get the citizenship of Moldova through the recognition of the fact that they would have at least one of the parents, grandparents or great-grandparents born on the territory of Moldova. ‘’They acted personally or through empowered people, by using civil status acts with distorted content; they were getting extracts of certificates of birth of people born on the territory of Moldova.  The documents were issued on the names of people who have family names and first names resembling with the ones of the alleged relatives, so that they meet the conditions of getting the citizenship through recognition,’’ CNA noted.    

Ten searches were carried out on this case, following which objects and documents relevant for the criminal file were raised. Thus, six people have the capacity of suspect and are to be prosecuted at large, following hearings.

On the period 1 January 2022 – 15 April 2024, 4,317 applications on the acquiring of Moldova’s citizenship were submitted, of which 2,577 applications were accepted. A number of 210 applications were refused and the rest are under examination or suspended till the reception of answers on behalf of authorities.   

The investigation is carried out under the procedural leadership of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Chisinau municipality and ASP provides the information support and the documentation of the case.