Welcome, Guest! - Login or Register, Online: 120

Moldova

Moldovan officials provide details about explosion in Chisinau

October 19, 2009
Subscribe to: RSS, Email

Senior officials from Moldova's power structures and the Ministry of Health were summoned to parliament on Thursday evening to present information about the explosion that took place in the Chisinau central square the night before during the Chisinau's Temple Day concert. The initiative to hear such information was put forth by the opposition Communist Party faction.

Minister of the Interior MG Victor Catan stated there are all grounds to regard the Wednesday's blow-up as a terror act.

"An investigation team has been formed, which is investigating into the incident. The evidence already available proves that a hand grenade was deliberately thrown into the public to carry out a terror act. Shortly before the explosion moment, the prime minister's office received telephone calls with threats. Proceeding from materials and information available, we decided to initiate a criminal proceeding on suspicion of undertaking a terror act", said general Catan.

He rejected the accusations put forward by the opposition Communist faction, who stated security of huge masses of citizens in the square failed to be properly organized, therefore the Interior Minister must resign.

Parliament Chairman Mihai Ghimpu asked the Communists to not politicize the tragic event, and Prosecutor General Valeriu Zubco offered an opinion that it is too early yet to rush at such conclusions in shorter than 24 hours since such kind of a terror act. In his words, an investigation is at full swing, and in the interests of its success he cannot disclose full information about the case.

Information and Security Service (ISS) Director Gheorghe Mihai also rejected the Communists' accusations concerning slackly organized security for holiday participants. He stated that ISS as well as the Interior and other officers undertook all necessary security measures, but despite all precautions, such incident did happen - for the first time in the independent Moldova's history.

He reminded the legislature that as recently as the previous week, Chisinau hosted a CIS Heads of Sate Summit, before which all necessary security preventive arrangements were duly made.

"We organized a large-scale exchange of information with the security services of other CIS member countries, and there was no information whatsoever about any terror act preparation. I guess it is too early yet to make conclusions about the yesterday's explosion", Gheorghe Mihai said.

According to the Ministry of Health data, 39 persons applied for help to the Chisinau Emergency Hospital. Of them, 12 people were hospitalized.

Minister of Health Vladimir Hotineanu said one person required a surgical operation, and the rest eleven received light or medium-gravity injuries, and within 2-3 days they will be discharged from hospital. Besides the 39, three more people applied to other hospitals in Chisinau. The lives of all the 42 people are in no danger whatever.

Infotag




Add a comment
( Login or Register to post comments )

Log In
Username
Password
I've forgotten my password! Click here!