The deputy mayor of Soroca, the chief architect and the secretary of the Municipal Council were detained by the NAC in several cases related to the rigging of public tenders

The officers of the National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) and the prosecutors of the Bălţi Municipal Prosecutor's Office today carried out searches in several files based on acts of active and passive corruption and influence peddling. 7 representatives of the local authorities in Soroca, as well as 16 natural persons, including economic agents, are being investigated by the NAC in corruption cases aimed at rigging public tenders. As a result, 3 officials were detained. They are the chief architect of the Soroca Municipality, the deputy mayor of the Soroca Municipality and the secretary of the Municipal Council.

The criminal investigation was started on the basis of the reasonable suspicion that public persons and persons with a position of public dignity within the City Hall and the Soroca Municipal Council would have favoured some economic agents in the process of obtaining the set of documents for concluding contracts with the municipality against illicit payments. Also, in exchange for illicit financial means, received through third parties, the officials would have rigged several tenders to win them by certain economic agents.

At this stage, 4 people have suspect status, 3 of whom were detained for 72 hours and placed in the Detention Centre. All actions are taking place under the procedural leadership of the Balti Municipal Prosecutor's Office.

We remind that every person shall be presumed innocent until a final and irrevocable court decision is issued.