The “Bag” Case: Footage of Dodon Being Handed a Plastic Bag to Be Examined

Members of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) ordered to verify the authenticity of the recording in the “bag” case, in which former President Igor Dodon is tried to hand over a black polythene bag. Thus, the court satisfied the former president lawyers’ request for a forensic examination. The defense undertook to cover all the expenses. According to the court ruling, specialists will have to establish the place and time of the recording, analyze the footage to establish its authenticity and determine the device used to take the pictures. In the so-called “bag” case, Igor Dodon is accused of passive corruption and receiving funding for the Socialist Party from a criminal organization, as well as promoting the interests of former PDM leader Vladimir Plahotniuc and his crony Serghei Iaralov. The basis for the criminal case was a video from 2019 in which, during a private conversation, Plahotniuc suggested that Dodon take a black bag. Prosecutors believe that it could contain between $600,000 and $1 million, which was to be used to finance the Socialist Party and the salaries of some formation’s functionaries. Dodon did not take the package, but asked to give it to a certain Constantin. The former Moldovan president himself believes that the case file contains several dozen procedural violations. Dodon claims that the video was edited and the prosecutors pointed out evidence that cannot be considered legitimate. He categorically denies his guilt.