The Chisinau Court, Buiucani office, returned on Monday, after a  five weeks' break, to the examination of the file in which the former president Igor Dodon is accused of abuse of office. The schemes with the dubious transactions on the energy market, which are the basis of the file, were debunked, in an extensive press investigation, carried out by the team of the Center for Investigative Journalism from Moldova, in 2008.       

   
The court was to begin examining the substance of the case on Monday, after the indictment was read at the October 27 meeting and the preliminary hearing was announced.

At Monday's meeting,  lawyers asked the accusers to provide explanations and clarifications regarding what was written in the indictment.

Later, the meeting was interrupted because the time expired. The next meeting was scheduled for December 23.

If the magistrates fail to make decision for half a year, Igor Dodon will no longer be able to be convicted in the respective case, because the statute of limitations has expired.

We remind you that the first court hearing in the criminal trial against ex-president Igor Dodon took place on October 6.

The former head of state is charged with the crime of exceeding authority, by a person holding a position of public dignity, in the interest of an organized criminal group.

The indictment refers to Igor Dodon's actions from 2008-2009, when he held the position of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Trade.

"Igor Dodon is accused that, holding the position of First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Trade, during May 2008, he signed the approval that favored the conclusion by the general director of SA "Energocom" with a foreign company from Hungary, of a contract, regarding the procurement of electricity for the Republic of Moldova, in a volume of 2 320 000 000 kw/h, from May 2008 to June 2009, contrary to the legal provisions that concerned the activity at that time the central public energy administration authority in the person of the Ministry of Economy and Trade, and especially the functional attributions of the Minister of Economy and Trade", state the accusers.

Thus, according to the provisions of the contract concluded with the foreign company, the price of electricity for the period from May to September 2008 inclusive, was 0.053 US dollars for 1 kw/h, and respectively 0.058 US dollars for 1 kw/h for the electricity delivered between October 2008 and June 2009 inclusive, although SA "Energocom" had already negotiated and concluded two electricity supply contracts at a 29% cheaper price.

As a result of the named actions, particularly large damages were caused to the state in the amount of almost 12 million US dollars, funds that were later transferred to the accounts of some offshore companies.

"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained, which proves the prejudicial nature of the electricity purchase contract named above, concluded to the detriment of the state's interests, namely the existence at that time of the electricity supply contracts concluded by Cuciurgan power station with economic agents from abroad at prices much lower than the purchase price of electricity by SA "Energocom" from a foreign company in Hungary, the electricity that was delivered through the electricity networks of the Republic of Moldova under an agent contract between JSC "Energocom" as Executor and Cuciurgan power station as Client", emphasize the prosecutors.

At the same time, these actions led to an increase in electricity tariffs, affecting the rights of final consumers, citizens of the Republic of Moldova.

Igor Dodon rejected the accusations of involvement in the Energocom case. The former president is accused in two other cases, filed on four charges, including illicit enrichment and treason.