Prosecutors seek prison sentences for Leancă, Lazăr, Copaci, and others in airport concession case
Prosecutors are seeking a six-year prison sentence for Iurie Leancă, the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, in connection with the concession of Chișinău International Airport. Prosecutor Victor Muntean made this request on September 14 during the hearing that marked the beginning of judicial arguments in the case. Other well-known defendants facing similar potential sentences include Valeriu Lazăr, the former Minister of Economy; Tudor Copaci, the former head of the Public Property Agency; and Petru Jardan, the former Member of Parliament and former director of Chișinău International Airport.
Sentences requested for all eight defendants
In the case concerning the concession of Chișinău International Airport—now known as "Eugen Doga" Chișinău International Airport—there are seven defendants for whom the prosecution has requested the following sentences:
- Former Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazăr – 6 years in prison
- Former Director General of the Public Property Agency (APP) Tudor Copaci – 6 years in prison
- Former Deputy Director of the APP Angela Susanu – 6 years in prison
- Former Deputy Head of the Public Property Administration Directorate within the APP Maria Șendilă – 5 years in prison
- Former Interim Director General of the State Enterprise "Chișinău International Airport" Petru Jardan – 6 years in prison
- Former Financial Director of the enterprise Alexandru Ciutac – 6 years in prison
The case is being heard at the Chișinău Court and has reached the stage of judicial arguments—one of the final phases in examining a criminal case, as reported by ZDG.
The prosecution argues that in 2013, the defendants granted the concession for Chișinău International Airport to benefit a "criminal organization." State prosecutors allege that Iurie Leancă, Valeriu Lazăr, Tudor Copaci, and Petru Jardan reduced the percentage of profit designated for the state budget following the airport's concession—from 8% to 1%. They claim that the concession tender was a sham, resulting in financial losses to the state. The defendants did not admit guilt during the court proceedings.
The case, which involves alleged losses to the state exceeding 392 million lei due to the concession of Chișinău International Airport, was sent to trial in May 2023, according to an announcement by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
The institution states that the defendants allegedly abused their official positions in 2013 to prepare and execute the concession of the state-owned enterprise. The company "Avia Invest," associated with the convicted Ilan Șor, took over the operations and management of Chișinău International Airport under a public-private partnership agreement lasting 49 years, with a commitment to invest 250 million euros in its modernization.
However, the company was accused of failing to meet its contractual obligations, prompting a parliamentary inquiry commission to recommend terminating the concession agreement.
Chișinău International Airport was returned to state ownership in March 2023 following a decision by the Court of Appeal.
