Marian Resigned as Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs

PAS MP Radu Marian announced this on social media, noting that the situation surrounding the problems at MoldATSA had undermined confidence in the entire team. “I take responsibility for having made a mistake regarding the person I recommended. I was unaware of the salary-related irregularities that had taken place. The Audit Committee and the Financial Inspectorate must now investigate these cases of financial misconduct,” the MP wrote. Marian noted that he condemns such actions. “All these years, I have remained true to the values I started out with. There were certainly mistakes, but in my work as an MP I have acted with integrity. It has been a difficult journey: I was responsible for coordinating more than 20 policy areas, and for promoting, analyzing and passing nearly 500 laws and regulations, including measures to strengthen energy independence, support business and integrate into the EU’s economic area. I want to believe that I did everything possible for the Republic of Moldova and its European path, even if I made mistakes. But I can say with a clear conscience that I did not pursue any hidden interests and did not gain any personal benefit. Any institution is free to scrutinize my income, assets and activities. What has happened has been a hard lesson for us. We do not shirk responsibility; on the contrary, we acknowledge our mistakes and rectify them. I thank the independent press for pointing out our shortcomings. I hereby announce that I am resigning from my post as Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, Budget and Finance, as I have two key priorities: the country’s accession to the EU and preserving the reputation of the team with which we have achieved so much. The unity and image of the team, as well as the public’s trust in our shared project, are more important than any position. I will continue to work as a Member of Parliament, contributing to the Republic of Moldova’s European path towards a free and prosperous world,” added Radu Marian. It should be recalled that Dumitru Vangheli, Director-General of the State Enterprise for Airspace Management and Air Traffic Services (MoldATSA), was relieved of his post on 22 June. He was suspended following a journalistic investigation which cast doubt on claims regarding his training at a Canadian aviation school and his employment as a pilot with Air Canada. The airline itself stated that it had no record of his employment.