SCJ rejects request to reopen Filat's case following conviction
The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) denied the request made by former Prime Minister Vladimir Filat and his legal team to reopen the criminal trial that resulted in his conviction for passive corruption and influence peddling. This decision was reached by a majority of votes and is final, informs the Supreme Council of Magistracy (CSM).
The judges concluded that the violation of Filat's right to a fair trial, as identified by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case “Filat v. Moldova,” does not warrant reopening the trial. They stated that reopening is justified only when a violation “raises serious doubts as to the outcome of the proceedings.” In this instance, the ECtHR did not explicitly recommend reopening the case.
Filat and his attorneys referenced the ECtHR’s ruling from January 31, 2023, which indicated that the examination of his case was conducted behind closed doors, thereby violating the principle of a public trial. However, the CSM clarified that this violation pertains to a lack of transparency and does not call into question the final verdict of the trial.
The judges pointed out that the issues raised by the defence have either been resolved or are nearing expiration, and they deemed these issues insufficient to justify a review of the case.
The SCJ's decision follows several requests filed by Filat's defense team, starting on June 20, 2023.
In June 2016, Filat was sentenced to nine years in prison for passive corruption and influence peddling, following a self-denouncement by the fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, who was also later convicted of fraud in the banking system. While serving his sentence, Filat sought justice at the ECtHR, claiming a violation of his right to a fair trial.
In 2023, four years after his release from prison, the Court ordered the Chisinau Government to pay Filat €7,500 in moral damages. Filat had initially sought damages four times higher, amounting to €30,000. In 2024, he was acquitted in a separate case involving allegations of large-scale money laundering, although that acquittal was subsequently contested by anti-corruption prosecutors.
