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Top Moldovan prosecutor: Romania not officially involved in riots

July 24, 2009
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Nobody has ever said that Romania was involved in the 7 April events - street protests against the alleged rigging of the 5 April parliamentary election. A statement to this effect was made today by Moldova's Prosecutor-General Valeriu Gurbulea.

Gurbulea also said that more than three months after the violent protests in the centre of Chisinau no policeman brutalizing young people had been identified yet, while the amnesty of protesters announced earlier was no longer in place.

After President Vladimir Voronin has repeatedly accused Romania of being involved in the organization of the April events, the prosecutor-general is stating the opposite.

Gurbulea, speaking at a news conference: "Nobody has ever said anything about the participation of Romania as a state. Yet, different forms of participation were mentioned. For instance, during the 7 April events, the information systems of state institutions, including those ofthe presidential administration, were target of cyber attacks. According to the results of investigations, these cyber attacks were carried out from Romania."

Gurbulea said that prosecutors had asked the Romanian authorities to provide details about the users who had committed the cyber attacks, as well as give explanations as regards the visits paid by many Romanian officials to Moldova during that period.

At the same time, the prosecutor said that more than 200 people were still being questioned in connection with the April events, while the amnesty announced by Vladimir Voronin was no longer in place.

Gurbulea: "The position of the prosecution coincided with the president's initiative."

Answering to a question of a journalist present at the news conference "So, that was not an amnesty?", Gurbulea said "No, that was not an amnesty. The head of state put forward a political initiative not to keep people arrested. As simple as that."

At the same time, according to Gurbulea, no policeman who maltreate d young protesters has been identified yet. Neither is it known who killed Valeriu Boboc one of the people who died on 7 April in the centre of Chisinau. One of the reasons is that policemen were wearing masks.

The prosecutor-general also said that the Interior Ministry's decision not to use force was right. However, the ministry's actions are now being investigated, as well as the activities of the Information and Security Service (SIS). Under law, the SIS's task is to prevent possible coups.

Gurbulea: "Investigations have not been completed yet, but it has been established for sure and operative analysis of the situation in the [Great National Assembly] square show that the presence of children and girls did not allow police to disperse the crowd and stop the illegal actions."

Valeriu Gurbulea believes that the 7 April events were very well organized and were politically motivated. Moreover, he said that some protesters were paid, while provocateurs were trained what to do.

Gurbulea: "The riots were not staged for the sake of riots and pursued the clear goal of usurping power in the state."

However, Gurbulea refused to say who had instigated the coup d'etat, who was due to take over power and what evidence had been gathered.

On 22 July, the Moldovan news agency Infotag quoted Gurbulea as telling the same news conference that the prosecution did not have any evidence of the involvement of the Moldovan authorities in the organization of the post-election riots. The accusations have been repeatedly brought by the opposition.

Pro TV, Moldovan private TV company

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