Anti Corruption Advocacy: Minister Spînu Emphasises Transparency Amid Legal Probes
Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Andrei Spînu, advises anti corruption prosecutors to prioritise tackling thieves over scrutinising road construction intricacies.
This statement follows recent revelations by Octavian Iachimovschi, Deputy Chief of the Anti Corruption Prosecutor's Office, on a televised program, regarding the indictment of a State Road Administration (ASD) employee in a criminal case involving fraudulent management of the construction of the access road to the Leova-Bumbăta border crossing point.
During an appearance on the show "Punctul pe AZi," Minister Andrei Spînu expressed his scepticism regarding the motivations behind the prosecutors' actions, stating that he sees no justification for their approach. He expressed regret that prosecutors seem to focus on matters beyond their expertise, such as construction costs and methodologies. He emphasised the importance of focusing on apprehending criminals and urged prosecutors to make any evidence they possess public to provide clarity on their actions.
Moreover, Minister Spînu asserted that both he and the ministry under his leadership have ensured transparency in the activities at the Leova-Bumbăta border crossing point. He encouraged prosecutors, anti corruption officers, road construction experts, and the public to review the 117 publicly available documents on the social media platforms he oversees to gain insights into the project.
In conclusion, Minister Spînu urged anyone with inquiries to visit his social media page, review the available documents, and inspect the site to assess all completed work. He noted that Octavian Iachimovschi recently disclosed that an ASD employee is facing charges of office misconduct in the "Leova-Bumbăta" case, and investigators are pursuing additional suspects in their ongoing investigations. Rumours in the public sphere suggest that the individual facing accusations may be the general director of the ASD, Sergiu Bejan. When contacted for a response, Bejan acknowledged being questioned by prosecutors but declined to elaborate. However, he clarified that all expenses related to the construction of the access road Leova-Bumbăta were transparent, and the complete information was publicly available. Furthermore, prosecutors previously conducted searches in the offices of several State Road Administration employees, as well as in the construction and design companies involved.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
