PROSECUTION SIDE DEMANDS TO JAIL BUSINESSMAN ILAN SHOR FOR 19 YEARS

The prosecution side has demanded 19 years in jail for businessman Ilan Shor, Prosecutor Andrei Baiesu announced to the press in the courthouse on Tuesday.

"The consideration of the Shor case is approaching its completion. Today we started the hearing of the parties' arguments. The last witness for the defense did not show up in the court, so it was decided to cancel hearing this witness, as the defense has failed to ensure his presence. I have demanded to jail Ilan Shor for 19 years, after which he shall have no right to work in the banking system for 5 years", stated the prosecutor. Answering journalists' questions, Andrei Baiesu said that the damage inflicted by Shor to Banca de Economii [savings bank] is estimated at 5 billion lei, which is equivalent to US$385 million according to the 2014 exchange rate.

Ilan Shor stated to the press: "I categorically disagree with these accusations that are totally unfounded. I collaborated with the investigation. It was only thanks to me that the prosecutors managed to detect crimes and to jail former Prime Minister Vlad Filat [for 9 years]".

Lawyer Denis Ulanov stated that the accusations do not correspond to the circumstances of the case - absolutely.

"They don't correspond to either factual or legal side of the case. Mr. Shor gave himself up, came to police, and collaborated with the investigation thus facilitating the detecting of crimes. With all this, the prosecutor is asking a sentence incompatible even with the circumstances of the case, not to mention the above advantages", the lawyer stated and stressed that the defense will continue defending Ilan Shor's innocence.

The next session of the court has been scheduled for 14.30 hrs on Wednesday. Both the prosecutor and the lawyers presume that this may become the last session.

According to the law, the judicial examination of a criminal lawsuit may not last for longer than one year, as the Constitutional Court ruled in 2016. Therefore, if the first-instance court fails to declare a verdict during one year, the defendant's measure of restraint is cancelled.

Prominent Moldovan man of business and the Mayor of Orhei town Ilan Shor, 30, was arrested on June 22, 2016 and spent 1.5 months in a remand prison, after which on August 5 the Chisinau Appeals Court changed the measure of restraint for him into a house arrest.

Former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat is now serving a 9-year sentence in jail, which he has received due to Shor's report to police. Shor stated and proved that he had given a total of US$250 million in bribes to Premier Filat. That money was illegally withdrawn from 3 Moldovan banks controlled by Ilan Shor.