East Gas Energy Trading, a company associated with Vlad Plahotniuc, has failed to get removed from the sanctions list. The Chișinău Court, Rîșcani office, rejected its legal action against the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS). The ruling was delivered on April 3.

“The administrative lawsuit filed by East Gas Energy Trading LLC against the Intelligence and Security Service of the Republic of Moldova, requesting the annulment of the unfavorable individual administrative act, is rejected as unfounded. The company’s request to suspend the execution of the same administrative act is also rejected as unfounded,” reads the court ruling, signed by judge Livia Mitrofan, who is currently a member of the Superior Council of Magistracy.

It further explains that full reasoning of the decision will be provided in writing within 45 working days from the registration of a timely appeal or from the submission of a request to justify the ruling. The request for reasoning must be filed within 15 days from the pronouncement of the decision, under Article 226 (2) of the Administrative Code of Moldova. The ruling may be appealed at the Chișinău Court of Appeal within 30 days from its pronouncement, through the Chișinău Court, Rîșcani office.

East Gas Energy Trading (EGET) is the company that, in 2023, was selected by Turkey’s state-owned Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAŞ) to supply natural gas to the Republic of Moldova.

EGET was founded in 2020 by Mircea Maleca, former director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Vitalie Șeptefraț, Ecer Invest SRL, and H Kapitalz SRL. The latter is managed by Maria Cebotari, wife of former Justice Minister during the Democratic Party's rule, Vladimir Cebotari.

In 2024, EGET was included in the list of entities for which there is evidence and documented information linking them to the sanctioned individual, Vlad Plahotniuc.