President on ASP employees who allegedly received money for votes cast

Chisinau, Nov 1 /MOLDPRES/- President Maia Sandu commented on the case in which 40 employees of the Public Services Agency (ASP) were suspended from their posts on suspicion of having received money as a reward for their votes in the October 20 elections and referendum. "Unfortunately we have people in state institutions who do not respect the law. This is more than a crime, it is a serious violation," Maia Sandu said at a TV show.

The official noted that the violations would be caused by gaps or inactions in the justice system.

"I don't know if it surprised a lot of people. Unfortunately, we have people in state institutions who do not respect the law. This is more than a crime, this is a serious violation. Why do these things happen, because when I have seen arrests of people working in one institution or another, they were resolved in a week - two, maybe two months, in the Moldovan justice system. At the moment when for some people who are tempted to commit crimes and take money illegally, it is clear that they will not be penalized, they will get along and share with the judges or whoever makes the decision. Here we have reached the situation where even in the courts we have people who act in this way," said Maia Sandu.

"To get out of this situation, we have to mobilize. There are institutions that are working well. Many employees are working and making great efforts. At the same time, there are institutions where people can do anything, they can commit illegalities because they have not been sanctioned. We need to go back to justice reform and find a way to do it much faster. The reform is happening, we just do not have the time to carry it through. This situation with half-finished reform is a big vulnerability for the Republic of Moldova. Today the thieves and Kremlin are using this vulnerability. The angry judges in the system, who do not want reforms and do not want to work well without these reforms, believe that they can now strike a blow against this government and keep their heads above water, and continue to work in the system. The problem is that they are not just dealing a blow to this government, but to the country. If vote buying is now allowed, if it will determine the outcome of the elections, then things will look even worse in the next parliamentary and local elections," said Maia Sandu.

Yesterday, 40 ASP employees were suspended from their posts on suspicion of receiving money as a reward for their votes in the October 20 elections and referendum. The institution said it had received a complaint from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, saying that "there is suspicion that 40 employees of the institution received money from the Russian Federation through the PSB application".

In this situation, the ASP has initiated an on-duty investigation and the 40 employees concerned have been suspended from their duties. 

The facts are being investigated in a criminal case.