Maia Sandu on Stoianoglo Case: Depending on Judgment Timing

President Maia Sandu commented on the case of the dismissed Attorney General Alexandr Stoianoglo. “He has been suspended pending a judgment. How long will it take? It depends on when the court wants to make a decision,” the head of state said in În PROfunzime broadcast, as noi.md reports with reference to unimedia.info “I think that what is happening and what the Prosecutor General is doing is more important than his current status. The Acting Prosecutor General is participating in these measures to reform the institution, we will see how he copes,” Maia Sandu added. Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo was detained by the SIS on October 5, 2021, just a few minutes before the briefing announced by him at 6:00 PM. This was a result of a notification submitted to the Prosecutor Supreme Council by a PAS deputy. Prosecutor Victor Furtuna, who had previously led the investigation against Nicolae Chitoroaga, was assigned to check the notification. The Attorney General said that these actions are Maia Sandu’s revenge and that “we are returning to a captured state”. The day before the arrest, Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo released parts of the correspondence between the former head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Viorel Morari, with high-ranking officials, including Maia Sandu’s adviser, as well as with civil society actors. Judging by this information, Viorel Morari, the former head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, advised the PAS authorities in 2019. Moreover, Alexandr Stoianoglo claimed that he was pressured to withdraw from the important episode within the Billion Dollar Theft. Alexandr Stoianoglo was grounded for 30 days on 8 October. The same evening, the dismissed Prosecutor General shared what he wanted to reveal at a press briefing prior to his arrest. A month later, on December 9, 2021, the dismissed head of the Prosecutor General’s Office was placed under judicial control for 30 days. At the same time, the court forbade him to participate in public events, including TV broadcasting and interviewing. The war between Alexandr Stoianoglo and the new government escalated immediately after the parliamentary elections. The new Minister of Justice drafted and introduced a bill after several requests to the Attorney General om resignation, which did not happen. The amendments set several steps, including his performance review and dismissal, as well as removal from office if held liable. The Venice Commission criticized several legislative provisions introduced by the PAS, asking, among other things, what is the difference between the proposed performance review without a clear mechanism and the summary punishment already provided by law. At the same time, Alexandr Stoianoglo said that he was ready for a performance review and had no reason to resign, unless the requests “are received because he is a Gagauz”. Alexandr Stoianoglo was appointed Prosecutor General following a competition that ended in a scandal orchestrated by the Maia Sandu’s government in the fall of 2019.