Moldovan President Maia Sandu asked for international support to prosecute corrupt officials and retrieve the country’s stolen assets.
She stated this while speaking at the Summit for Democracy on the panel "Preventing and Combating Corruption". The head of state noted that the corrupt governments plunged Moldova into poverty; the institutions of the state were seized. Impunity and the trampling of justice became widespread. A number of powerful people monopolized economic flows, which made it impossible to attract investment and destroyed potential opportunities. Financial crime has become commonplace. “The fraud in the banking sector reaching 12% of GDP, as well as the $22 billion laundered through our country, are examples of the scale of corruption we have encountered in just the last decade. And it hit our economy, our statehood and national security in a serious way,” said Maia Sandu. She noted that the citizens of Moldova were very clear about their demands to break the vicious circle of corruption and the captured state, clean up the public sector, and create a more functional state. “Our fight against corruption includes concrete measures - removing corrupt people from the justice system, including through an extraordinary external assessment of judges and prosecutors, building strong anti-corruption institutions, tracking and recovering the stolen money, promoting financial transparency and accountability, and ending illegal financing of political parties. These tasks are very difficult. Tough, serious, systemic efforts are needed, and they must be implemented everywhere and without compromise. We are facing fierce resistance from those who are still enjoying the fruits of the old system. However, the people did not ask us to be polite. People demand to make sure that everyone observes the established rules. And we are determined to fulfill their mandate – in good faith, in the interests of all citizens, for the common good,” President of the Republic of Moldova said. At the same time, she drew attention to the fact that corruption must be fought on both sides: “Where the money was stolen from, and where these funds were transferred. Without the participation of established democracies, we cannot succeed. Corrupt officials, with their illegal incomes, should not be allowed to move and live comfortably in Western democracies after they have plundered the vital resources of their home countries. One billion dollars is the result of a banking fraud, as well as 22 billion dollars laundered through Moldova went through the accounts of legal entities in 60 different countries. We need more international investigations into cases of high corruption. We need stricter regulation of international anti-money laundering standards in established democracies. Assets stolen from the people should be returned in an easier way. Recovered assets should improve people's lives, not be used by fugitive criminals. I know that what I am asking for comes at a cost and requires measured compromises. But in order to see the triumph of democracy in the XXI century, conscious, thoughtful observance of the requirements of laws and regulations - this is a very low price,” said Maia Sandu. // 10.12.2021 - InfoMarket.
