The Deputy General Director of the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSA), Vsevolod Stamati, has been detained today, December 6, for passive corruption. He asked several businessmen to supply him foodstuffs to avoid interfering in their activities.

According to the prosecutors, in September 2016, he requested from several businessmen wine, meat, sausages and other foodstuffs to avoid creating impediments to their economic activities, especially in the cases of imported products and issuance of import phytosanitary certificates.

Prosecutors documented the receipt of the requested foodstuffs by the Deputy Director of the ANSA. The goods were loaded into his service car in front of the Agency’s headquarters.

Moreover, on September 20, 2016, Stamati tried to influence the withdrawal of the deputy head of the Edinet District Division of the ANSA and the appointment of a person affiliated to him to that position. In case of refusal, the deputy director threatened the official with criminal cases for the sale of phytosanitary certificates.

Deputy Director of the ANSA was detained for 72 hours. If found guilty, he risks from 7 to 15 years of imprisonment with a fine of up to 500 thousand lei and deprivation of the right to occupy certain public positions, or to exercise certain activities for a period of 10 to 15 years.

Crime Moldova

7 December 2017

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