Ex-president of Transnistria put on wanted list

Transnistria’s Investigation Committee has put the ex-president Yevgeny Shevchuk on wanted-list. The former leader of Transnistria is charged with six criminal cases related to corruption, abuse of power, embezzlement of government funds and underpayment of social benefits.

“The cases Mr. Shevchuk is suspected in are quite different, but quite serious at the same time,” says Vyacheslav Brinzari, the head of the Investigation Committee. “The amounts embezzled are quite solid as well.”

President of Transnistria Vadim Krasnoselsky says the cases are not politically motivated. “There is no revenge, but a legal treatment is needed. These are not political cases, just economic and criminal ones. The court will hear the cases and announce a verdict,” he says.

The ex-president was deprived of his inviolability by the parliament at the request of the prosecutor. He left the country and was hiding in Moldova for a while. Then he left for Russia.

Earlier, Transnistria passed a law on trial in absentia. Two of the cases the ex-president is charged with fit into the new law: underpayment of 30% of salaries and pensions as well as corrupt deals at government-run enterprises. These cases can be heard in Shevchuk’s absentia. The ex-president was put on the wanted-list over the remaining four cases.