Unionist politician Dragoș Galbur, who has repeatedly criticized Moldova’s ruling PAS party, has announced that his complaint against PAS MP Radu Marian has been forwarded for examination by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Galbur, his complaint alleges influence peddling and political favoritism in connection with the appointment of Dumitru Vangheli. The complaint was initially submitted to the General Prosecutor’s Office before being transferred to anti-corruption prosecutors for review.
The allegations stem from the controversy surrounding MoldATSA, Moldova’s state-owned air traffic management company.
According to Galbur, Vangheli was appointed as head of MoldATSA with Marian’s support despite allegedly submitting a résumé containing false information. Galbur further claims that, once appointed, Vangheli recruited politically connected individuals to senior, well-paid positions within the agency, including Anastasia Tăbârțanu, who has been identified in media reports as a relative of President Maia Sandu.
The MoldATSA controversy previously resulted in Marian losing his position as chairman of a parliamentary committee. However, he retained his seat in Parliament along with the parliamentary immunity attached to it.
Should prosecutors formally open a criminal investigation, parliamentary immunity could become a significant legal issue. Political observers note that such a development could increase pressure on the ruling party.
Whether any investigation will ultimately result in criminal charges remains uncertain.
Galbur also referred to the case of Vangheli, claiming that despite criminal proceedings being initiated, he was not detained and subsequently left Moldova before investigators could take further action.
At the time of publication, neither Radu Marian nor the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office had publicly commented on the reported transfer of the complaint or on the allegations made by Galbur.
