LIST | Plahotniuc, Iaralov among former officials heard as witnesses in the “kuliok” case
The former leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM), Vlad Plahotniuc, along with his former advisor, Serghei Iaralov, and several former deputies, will testify as witnesses in the case known as "kuliok" (which means "black bag"). This case involves the former President of the Republic of Moldova, Igor Dodon, who is currently on trial. On Monday, December 12, the magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice partially granted the prosecutors' request and established the list of witnesses who will appear before the court.
The judges have partially accepted the request from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, which initially sought to hear 17 individuals. They narrowed the list down to 11 witnesses, determining that only these individuals were relevant for the case examination.
Witnesses approved by the Court
Among those to be heard in the "Kuliok" case are Vlad Plahotniuc, the former leader of the PDM, and Serghei Iaralov, a former close advisor to Plahotniuc, who plays a central role in the video recording that serves as the basis for the case.
The court has also approved the testimony of Iurie Reniță, a former deputy from the "ACUM" electoral bloc and a key witness who made the video material public in 2020.
The list of witnesses additionally includes Dumitru Diacov, a former deputy and co-founder of the PDM; Andrian Candu, a former President of the Parliament; Vladimir Cebotari, a former Minister of Justice; Adrian Albu, a former socialist deputy; Lilian Carp, a current deputy from the Action and Solidarity Party; Pavel Filip, a former Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova; as well as citizens Andrei Neguta and Andrei Harghel.
The "Kuliok" case was initiated after a video recording made public in 2020 surfaced, showing Igor Dodon receiving a black bag from Plahotniuc in the presence of Serghei Iaralov. Prosecutors allege that the bag contained between $600,000 and $1 million, which was purportedly intended for the illegal financing of the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova. Igor Dodon is accused of passive corruption and accepting illegal financing for a political party.
Dodon has consistently denied the accusations, claiming that the images were manipulated. Vlad Plahotniuc has not publicly disclosed the amount of money in the bag, but he has affirmed his willingness to testify in the case.
The criminal investigation into the "Kuliok" case resumed on May 18, 2022, after the Chisinau Court of Appeal overturned a previous decision by the Chisinau Court not to initiate criminal proceedings. In earlier proceedings, the court heard 15 prosecution witnesses and examined several pieces of documentary evidence, but the trial has been resumed in full following a change in the panel of judges.
Recently, Igor Dodon expressed his desire for Vladimir Plahotniuc to be heard in the "Kuliok" case after the former democratic leader confirmed his intention to provide statements.
