Integrity

Properties, businesses and interests of rectors of state universities

Foto simbol: promptmedia.ro
Author: Victoria Dodon
08/12/2016 46031

There are 31 high educational institutions in Moldova, of which 19 are state universities. Some rectors have managed the universities for 15-20 years. Only in 2014, when the new Education Code was implemented, it stipulated that rectors cannot serve more than two consecutive terms, of five years each. In addition to management and teaching activity, many of them got involved in politics – either by joining a party or offering the university as platform for politicians. Also, some of them have profitable businesses and luxury houses. Managers' salaries are not small. Center for Investigative Journalism analyzed incomes and properties of the rectors of state universities and invites you to find out them.  

Gheorghe Ciocanu, Moldova State University: manager with criminal case at a dead end

Gheorghe Ciocanu. Photo: Facebook.com / USM

Gheorghe Ciocanu has been rector of Moldova State University (MSU) since 2007 and is currently serving the second term. Before being appointed, he was dean of the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics of the same institution. According to statements for recent years, Ciocanu has gradually increased his revenues from 307,000 lei in 2012 to almost 400,000 lei in 2015, money raised from the monthly salary of 15,000 lei, educational, scientific and creative activities.

Rector says that he owns an apartment of 70 square meters in the center of the capital, purchased in 2008 and valued at about one million lei, and in 2014, he  reported a car Audi Q5 obtained in bailment. Ciocanu sold a car of the same brand a year earlier for  the sum 28,000 euros. However, the car was not  declared in the 2012  and  2015 statements on property. In 2013, the manager at MSU opened a bank deposit that  amounted to 41,000 dollars in  2015. Also, he took out a bank loan of nearly one million lei.

In 2011, family Ciocanu bought a plot of 0.06 hectares in the small town Codru , suburb of the capital. In the same year, the land was mortgaged for the bank loan reported in the statements on income. Data from Cadastre report that a great house with 2 floors and a total surface of 209.8 square meters was built on the plot on str. Sergiu Radautan.

Rector's house. Photo: CIJM

A previous investigation carried out by the Center for Investigative Journalism, published on the portal Anticoruptie.md revealed details about the criminal case opened against the rector of MSU in September, 2015. National Anticorruption Center took action after there were suspicions that procurement contest of the investment project initiated by MSU and the construction company Lagmar-Impex SRL had been defrauded. According to the project, that was expected to complete  in 2018, the company committed to renovate several dormitories and a block of studies. Instead, MSU ceded 2 plots in the center of the capital. The construction company raised a huge residential complex which sells apartments, whose prices range from 444 euros per one sq.m. The case is at a dead end. While prosecutors argue that they still collect evidence, rector of MSU, the only person charged in the criminal case, is confident that this is a  political fabricated case.

We tried several times to talk with rector of MSU Gheorghe Ciocanu, but he refused each time to comment on this case, accusing us of bad faith and manipulation of public opinion. "This case is at a dead end for a year period! I brought 81 million lei to the institution, can you imagine?! 81 million?! Now, I am accused of power abuse ... Wait the sentence! Why don’t you wait for the court decision if you claim that you are right?", he said, being clearly bothered about  questions.

9 rectors joined the LDPM in 2010. Photo: Flux

Gheorghe Ciocanu joined the Liberal-Democratic Party in Moldova in 2010 along with other eight rectors of the most important high educational institutions. In 2016, he offered the university as a platform of launch for Marian Lupu, chairman of the Democratic Party in the presidential elections. This event took place on the same day when the university marked its 70th anniversary. Rector's decision has been criticized by several students of the educational institution. Dozens of students protested in front of the central block of   MSU and demanded the resignation of rector Ciocanu.

Grigore Belostecinic, Academy of Economic Studies in Moldova: "I renounced politics; I do not have any commitment to anyone"

Grigore Belostecinic has been  rector of the Academy of Economic Studies (ASEM) since 2001. In 2009, he was awarded the Order of Honor of Moldova. He was in the list of the nine managers of high educational institutions who have joined the  Liberal-Democratic Party in Moldova (PLDM) in July, 2010. In the parliamentary elections in November 2010 and  in 2014, Grigore Belostecinic received mandate of MP, but in both cases renounced and preferred to manage ASEM. Meanwhile, in October 2012, he became  deputy-chairman of the party, responsible of education. He says that he  renounced the party activity "with almost half a year before the collapse of the party began" and does not want to get involved in politics. 

Grigore Belostecinic. Photo: actual.md

Grigore Belostecinic received in 2015 incomes amounted at half of million lei from his activity at ASEM. According to the statement on income, monthly salary of rector was about 26,600 lei. Other 124,000 lei he received from the post of academician at the Academy of Sciences in Moldova: allowance - 48,000; for "European projects" - 48,000 for research projects at the Institute of Biology of ASM - 28,000, 23.280 lei- allowance for minor child care, 9,600 lei – for activity at the University of Comrat and 17.384 lei – for the post of MP, a position which he occupied for a very short time. However, the rector rendered consulting services amounting to 29.950 lei to Transservice SA company, specialized in trade and passenger transport.

Grigore Belostecinic has 2 apartments, one of them with a surface of 46,8 square meters and another one of 28 square meters, 2 uninhabited constructions, a  bank deposit of almost half of million lei and a loan totaling 777.428 lei. Academician did not report any plots or cars. In previous statements on income, he reported a plot with a surface of 600 square meters in Danceni, part of the agricultural Cooperative „Dolna”. Subsequently, this property is hidden in the statements. The rector did not  report on the sale of this plot. „ It is inherited by the son of my wife. He is already the owner”, said Grigore Belostecinic. 

Rector of ASEM received a sum of 152.000  lei  from a loan agreement with Moldcredit SRL, a joint enterprise where he owns 13% of shares. Moldcredit SRL is an enterprise funding small businesses and was registered in August, 2010. His partners in this company with a social capital totaling 8,2 million lei, are Dumitru Ursu, Gheorghe Ursu ( manager ), Victor Avram, Dumitru Sofroni, Victor Sturza and Michel Steger  from Switzerland.  Under a financial report presented in 2012 by the National Bureau of Statistics, the company had an income of almost 6 million lei.

Ion Ababii, rector of University of Medicine „Nicolae Testemitanu”: landowner assisted by his son from Paris

Ion Ababii Photo: usmf.md

Ion Ababii has been rector of State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (USMF) „Nicolae Testemitanu” since 1994 and he was re-elected for this post in 2014 last. Between 2005-2008,  he served as Minister of Health and he was dismissed when the new Government led by Zinaida Greceanii was established. In 2012, Ababii was proposed by the Alliance for European Integration as candidate for the seat of president of the state along with Veronica Bacalu. Shortly, he withdrew after party leaders from  the Alliance for European Integration disputed in a parliamentary meeting. As rector of the University of Medicine,  last year Ababii received a monthly salary of about 23.300 lei (an income of 279.231 lei per year), 78,000 lei  salary for the activity of university professor and scientific advisor in the institution and 48,000 lei – for the seat of member of the Academy of Sciences. The rector  declared the pension totaling 104,000 lei, an allowance of 24.169 lei and other about 145,000 lei as salary for the implementation of several international projects in Health and Education.

In the income statement for the past year, rector of University of Medicine  reported 63 agricultural plots which he owns in his native village, Ochiul Alb, district Drochia and which were bought between 2010 and 2015. Previously, his land properties numbered 86 plots with a total area of 100 hectares. Last year, Ion Ababii said for Moldova Curata that the plots were purchased with the help of his son Andrei Ababii, who is a surgeon in Paris, and he would have sent him some money. "He thought that he would return  here and then we bought the plots in my native village. These plots are tilled, if something can be done with them it will be great, but we stopped.  Probably, he will return home and will start businesses. I do not need any business”, said Ion Ababii for Moldova Curata. 

Also, the manager of the University of Medicine owns a family farm in his village, which is among the recipients of grants from the state. In 2016, Ababii’s farm received over half a million lei from the Subsidy Fund for farmers.

Ion Ababii drives a Mitsubishi Outlander obtained in bailment and owns  ¾ of a house of 172.7 square meters. Rector is the owner of a water storage tank, acquired in 2014, with a cadastral value of almost 1.5 million lei. Also, his wife, Liudmila Ababii holds 3.59% shares in the company Cefarm SRL, licensed in pharmaceutical products commercialization. The company has a total of 23 founders and  is registered on str. Vladimir Korolenko 2 in Chisinau,  the same address as that of  Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery. In May 2015, members of the National Integrity Commission started a check on possible failure to declare all revenues by the rector. Shortly, the case was closed.

Nicolae Chicuș
Nicolae Chicus Photo: realitatea.md

Nicolae Chicus, rector of the State Pedagogical University „Ion Creanga”

Nicolae Chicus  has served as dean of the Faculty of History and Ethno pedagogy at the University „Ion Creanga” and in 2010 , he was elected rector of the institution. In 2015, he received 274.265  lei  from the salary of manager of the university, about 22.855 lei per month. He owns 3 plots, 2 of them inherited in 2010 and another one- last year. He owns an apartment and a house with a surface of 110 square meters and a car Toyota, 2001.

Valentin Beniuc
Valentin Beniuc Photo: irim.md

Valentin Beniuc, Institute of International Relations of Moldova (IRIM)

The rector is PhD in Historical Sciences and PhD in political science. In 2003-2005, he was Minister of Education in Government Tarlev 1, and then he was named manager of the institution. As manager of IRIM, he received almost 252,000 lei and other 31 270 lei from pension, according to the statement. Professor has an apartment with a surface of 71.5 square meters, which he took possession in 2005, and a plot of 0.3 hectares, purchased in 2011.

Viorel Bostan, Technical University in Moldova: post inherited from father to son

Viorel Bostan Photo: utm.md

Viorel Bostan has been appointed rector of the Technical University of Moldova earlier this year. He has been working at the university since 2004, initially he was senior lecturer, then associate professor at the Department of Superior Mathematics, he is the son of former rector of the institution, Ion Bostan. His appointment for this post was criticized because the leadership of the institution was transmitted from father to son. 

"All professional results are achieved by my personal effort and can be verified. In addition,  I studied abroad. I and other two candidates convened a meeting with all teachers and all students from all nine faculties in our university. In all, we had 19 meetings and a large public debate throughout the university. Yes, of course, I do not deny -  I am my father's son, but just that",commented Viorel Bostan for newspaper Adevarul Moldova, shortly after he was appointed for this post. 

According to the last statement of income, Bostan  received 243 305 lei  from salary and over 20,000 lei per month for cumulative positions of professor and researcher. 63,000 lei of this  sum he earned from the seat of expert of the National Council for Accreditation and Attestation and for national and international projects. His wife received an allowance of 17,400 lei for child care.

In 2012, Bostan family came into possession of a house of 341 square meters, with a cadastral value of over 1.5 million lei. In the same year, he bought a plot of 0.08 hectares. Rector reported in the statement a car Renault Modus, 2005, which was donated to him in 2013.

Maria Duca, University of the Academy of Sciences in Moldova: incomes of millions from science

Photo: vipmagazin.md

Maria Duca is rector of the University of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (UnASM) since 2008 and he was previously Chairperson of Department and Dean of the Faculty of Biology of the State University. Last year, she was awarded the Order of the Republic for contribution to the development of biological sciences. In 2015, together with her husband, Gheorghe Duca, President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM), they received over 1.3 million lei from salaries, allowances and activity research.

According to the statement of income, salary of rector Maria Duca is over 21,000 lei per month, other income is accumulated from teaching and research activity in various institutions, including those affiliated to ASM and services provided to the company AMG-Agroselect Comert SRL, specialized in the cultivation and processing of sunflower seeds. On the other hand, Gheorghe Duca received in 2015 a salary of 13,000 lei for the seat of manager of the Academy and  declared other over 334,000 lei incomes for research  activity at the Institute of Chemistry,  at several international organizations and at  Hygieiacom SRL, a company that last year received support from the state budget to implement a project on grape oil extraction and production.

House of Duca family in Chisinau. Photo: CIJM

Last year,  family Duca sold many plots which they own in the small town Codru in municipality Chisinau, these transactions totaled 186.497 lei. The couple have a house of 185 square meters and a garage on str. Valea Dicescu in the capital, property worth about  two million lei and a land with an unfinished building, worth 95,000 lei.  The list of properties includes a holiday house with a total area of 658 square meters in town Borsec, Harghita County, Romania. An investigation conducted under a project of the Center for Investigative Journalism showed that the value of the house exceeds 100,000 euros, judging by the prices in the area. The documents of the house show that the price is 12,500 euros. For comparison, a square meter of land in a good area in ​​Borsec  is sold at the price of 40 euros. Chairman of ASM told journalists that anyone can get a villa in Borsec, because it is cheap.

Gheorghe Duca drives a car Hyundai Tucson, manufactured and bought in 2011. He also holds 10% shares in SRL Avantchim. Company is specialized in activities with precious stones and metals, pawn shops, import and processing, storage and wholesale commercialization of chemicals, etc. Maria Duca, in turn, has a 30% share in SRL Excert.  This limited liability company has several areas of activity: technical testing and analysis, design, planning and engineering, shipping and transport services, consultations for businesses and travel agencies.

Couple Duca  has 12 bank accounts. In 2014, president of the Academy of Science  was in the attention of the National Integrity Commission (NIC) namely for  having concealed certain shares in companies, four  plots and 17 bank accounts. But he was not sanctioned for non-compliance. 

Also in 2014, members of  the Commission  found  that Gheorghe Duca violated the legal status of conflict of interests when he handed out over 100 hectares of land, a two storey block on str. Academiei 1 A in Chisinau and a café to the University of the Academy. Gheorghe Duca did not agree with the decision of the National Integrity Commission and challenged it to court.  In early 2016, the Court of Appeal Chisinau ruled that the academician is charged for having concealed personal interests in this case and he did not solve the conflict of interests within three days, as required by law.

"Mr. Duca started a procedural appeal: first representatives of NIC held a press conference in which they announced that he had violated a law and then they convened the meeting and discussed this problem. Simultaneously, the case was forwarded to the prosecutor's office and later was closed", said Eugenia Tofan from the press service of the Academy of Sciences.

Zinaida Aricova, State University in Comrat: charged at the end of mandate 

On December 1, 2016, Comrat State University (USC) has elected a new rector. Six candidates competed in 2 rounds of elections and the winner was Serghei Zaharia, the current dean of the Faculty of Law of USC. A month earlier, Zaharia was independent candidate for MP in the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. According to the portal moldovacurata.md, he served two mandates in the local legislative of the autonomous region, he was elected consecutively in 2003 and 2008. Earlier, media wrote that the professor is a close associate of former governor Mihail Formuzal. The source noted that in the last year of mandate of MP,  namely in January 2012, Serghei Zaharia was  involved a scandal after he said that  the study of Ukrainian and Bulgarian languages study in Gagauzia should be paid by pupils’ parents, and not from the  budget of the  autonomy. Subsequently, the MP commented that he did not intend to provoke ethnic hatred.  Requested by Moldova Curata, the candidate said that his statements had been taken out of context and approached politically.

Zinaida Aricova Photo: gagauzinfo.md

Yet, Zaharia's candidacy has not been confirmed by the Ministry of Education. USC representatives have told us that the order could be issued within a week, and until then, Zinaida Aricova will be the manager. She has been managing this high  educational institution in Gagauzia since 2010. In late August current year, the portal deschide.md published a letter signed by several professors of the university that required the leadership of the autonomy and the Moldovan authorities to investigate several cases of fraud committed by the  leadership of USC, which brought damages totaling about three million lei. Specifically, Zinaida Aricova was accused by some colleagues that during 2011-2015,  she allowed leasing university places in the absence of any tenders, as required by law, and  she used employees of the institution in constructions works of her own house at the expense of working hours.

Aricova denied information and said to journalists that her name was discredited because of the forthcoming election of the leadership of the university. National Anticorruption Center took action of this case. "Later, they compiled a  material for refusal for lack of corpus delicti," said for Anticoruptie.md Victoria  Timus from the press service of the NAC. Rector  of USC received in 2015  a salary of 13,000 lei per month, with a total income of almost 196,000 lei from scientific and creative activity. Her family owns two houses, one was inherited in 2011, and another one was bought a year later.

Veaceslav Manolachi, University of Physical Education and Sport: rector with luxury property in a residential sector of the capital

Veaceslav Manolachi Photo: sports.md

Master of sports and owner of the distinction of Emeritus Coach of the Republic of Moldova has been rector of the University of Physical Education and Sport (USEFS) since 2001. From 1998 to  spring 2015, he managed the  Judo Federation of Moldova, located on the same address as that of  USEFS. Manolachi was re-elected  head of the Federation in December 2013 last, he was the only candidate to join the race. A few months earlier, Octavian Ticu, then Minister of Youth and Sports, accused  Manolachi of the fact that many top judo players from Moldova left the national team and joined the team of the United Arab Emirates. According to Ticu, president of the federation authorized illegally the change of the flag by Moldovan athletes. Manolachi rejected the accusations before journalists, saying that his signature was forged.

In 2015, manager of USEFS  received a salary of 24,000 lei per month (298.238 lei - annual income). He received other 60.509 lei for his activity at  Basconslux SRL. " I conduct trainings with employees of the company, for example, those who participate in the Universiade of the Builder”, said Manolachi. This construction company  has been previously in the attention of the investigations of the  Center for Investigative Journalism. This company  demolished the Republican Stadium in 2007 in the absence of a clear procurement contest and will receive 14 million lei from the state budget for those works. Details in the investigation: "Who makes the law in case of the Republican Stadium".

According to the statement of income, Manolachi owns 3 plots, a property of 37.8 square meters in the capital, which he bought in 2000, and a house of 354 square meters in Malina Mica in Chisinau. Modern and impressive building - two floors, attic, garage - was inherited in 2012 and has a cadastral value of over one million lei. The land where the house is built, was bought by the rector last year. Documents from Cadastre show that the surface of the house is just 163.5 square meters, by about two times less than the amount indicated in the statements on income. The documents also show that he does not own a car.

House of rector Manolachi. Photo: CIJM

In the statement on personal interests, the rector of USEFS  mentioned that he was founder of the Sports Fund of Moldova, that provides financial support to athletes who have suffered trauma or other health injury during sports activities. The rector said that the Fund had existed since 1999 and that he renounced the seat of founder last year after he completed the statement on interests. "There are already other founders. We believe that money will be collected in the fund to back the athletes. We called on many people, businessmen, who could back sport but nobody transferred any money ", said the manager of USEFS.

Also, he is  among the founders of the three companies, but he did not declared any income from this activity in the statement on income. UŞOM SRL – University of Oriental Sciences  in Moldova - was founded in 2002 and is registered  on str. Andrei Doga 24/1, the same address where the  State Agency for Intellectual Property (AGEPI) is located. The company  is specialized in lyceum and post- university education. The 17 founders include Victoriabank SA, with a 9% share.  Manolachi owned 10%  of shares in the enterprise European Invest Group SRL, and his business partners are a Romanian and an Austrian. Victor Manolachi, rector’s son has been manager of the company.  According to the State Registration Chamber, the enterprise set in 2007 has been recently liquidated. Manolachi  declared in documents the post of founder of the security Agency Ringhili SA, a closed joint stock company, founded in 1996, located in a block of flats on blvd. Stefan cel Mare. 

The National Integrity Commission performed a control over Veaceslav Manolachi, after the institution was notified by the National Anti-Corruption Center (CNA) in late, 2014. According to CNA, in the 2013 statement on income, the rector hid the shares in three companies, four bank accounts, and revenues totaling  2.424 lei from plot leasing. "As for the status of founder of the Security Agency Ringhili SA, I do not remember to have founded such a company.  However, even if  it really exists, I can say that I did not get any income”, justified the rector before the members of the Commission. In April 2015, CNI decided to close the case because the legal regime of incomes and properties was not violated.

Ion Gagim
Ion Gagim Photo: evenimentul.md

Ion Gagim, rector of the University „Alecu Russo” in Balti

Ion Gagim was appointed  rector of the State University of Balti in February, 2016. The manager of the most important high educational institution in the north of the country is a familiar  personality in musicology and musical pedagogy in Moldova and is a representative in Eastern Europe  of the Musicosophia Institute in Germany. As dean of the Faculty of Science of Education and Arts,  last year the professor earned nearly 200,000 lei, and about 91,000 lei from cumulative awards and salary for scientific activity and expert of the National Council for Accreditation and Attestation .

Ion Gagim owns an Audi bought in 2004, a plot with an area of 2.1 hectares in the village Rautel, district  Falesti and a house  that was donated to him in 2007. Last year, he bought an apartment in Chisinau. The building with an area of about 60 square meters is estimated at over 370,000 lei.

Victoria Melnic
Victoria Melnic Photo: amtap.md

Victoria Melnic, Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts

Victoria Melnic has been managing the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts (AMTAP)  for 12 years and would leave the post of rector in the near future when the 5-year mandate expires. Last year, she received revenues amounted at 232.424 lei from her activity at the academy and of research assistant in a project. Her husband, Vladimir Andries, is head of the department of string instruments at AMTAP, conductor of the National Chamber Orchestra of the Organ Hall and teaches music at the lyceum "Serghei Rahmaninov".

Last year, he had an income of almost 176,000 lei. Family of Victoria Melnic has an apartment with a surface of 47.9 square meters  that was donated to her and ⅖ of another apartment with a surface of 168.1 square meters,  both of them located in the capital and a garage. Victoria Melnic and Vladimir Andries did not declare any land or car,they own eight bank accounts, four of which  have a total of 40 079 euros and 29 764 dollars.

Oleg Balan, Academy of Public Administration: Rector with experience in Legislative and Executive 

Oleg Balan Photo: realitatea.md

Institution specialized in training civil servants, Academy of Public Administration (APA) of the President of the Republic of Moldova has been managed by Oleg Balan as of May, 2014.Before he was appointed rector of this institution,  he served as director of the department, then deputy-rector and then prime deputy-rector of the institution. In recent years, he has been manager of the university and MP on the lists of the  Liberal Democratic Party in Moldova (PLDM) (December 2014 - February 2015) and Minister of Internal Affairs (February 2015 - January 2016), though he did not have any connection with this institution before that. 

In 2015, Oleg Balan gained  93.642  lei  from APA, 39.779  lei  for his activity at the Interior Ministry and other 30.346  lei – salary of MP. His wife received 68.158 lei  from the post of  employee of the Police Academy „Ștefan cel Mare”  of the Interior Ministry and a pension worth 17.000 lei.  Couple Balan have over 208.000 lei on  2 cards. The rector owns 13 plots in his native village Carpesti, district Cantemir and 3 urban plots. He declared 2 apartments, one with a surface of 88,2  square meters and another one of 44,2 square meters, purchased in 2011 and 2013. The former minister has a car Audi A6, 2010  purchased in 2014 for the sum of 300.000 lei.

Previously, Oleg Balan owned 2 companies: Sterimed Com SRL,  specialized in medicine and  Bivon SRL,  specialized in agriculture. When he joined the Legislative, the MP declared that these companies were not profitable and one of them would be alienated. Later on, he renounced both of them. 

Renato Usatii, mayor of town Balti accused  Oleg Balan that while he served as Interior Minister, he admitted several high-level  corruption acts, money extortions, important seats sold against huge sums of money, control of the transiting in drugs etc.  The former official rejected all these accusations and said that he would sue Renato Usatii.  „ I sued him. He did not come to many trials, the lawyer came. He requested many documents from the Presidency and SIS. I hope he will get them for next meeting.  The trial is ongoing”, commented Balan.

Gheorghe Cimpoies, Agrarian University of Moldova: Huge house is a short walk from university 

House of rector Cimpoies. Photo: CIJM

Gheorghe Cimpoies  is a specialist in gardening, author of several publications and papers in the field of horticulture and rector of Agrarian University since 1994. He was among the nine managers of high educational institutions, who joined the PLDM in July, 2010. His salary in 2015 was about 22,500 lei per month, according to the statement of income and he collected other 105.147 lei from allowances and pension. 

Gheorghe Cimpoies owns a house of 180 square meters in  district Petricani, Chisinau. Specifically, the two-storey building is located right near the university which he manages. He took possession of the property in 2008. According to the documents, the house has a cadastral value of nearly half a million lei. Family Cimpoies owns two apartments, the latter  was purchased in 2011. Rector has shares in the company Efes Vitanta Moldova Brewery, the largest brewery in the country, owner of the brand Bere Chisinau. "There are about 67 shares. I  came into their possession about 25 years ago, or more, when state property was divided, when we were shared patrimonial bonds. Do you think that I have much property there?  I receive 200-300 lei per year.  I take them once in several years. I do not go there every year to get 300 lei", said Gheorghe Cimpoies.

Simion Carp, Academy of Police „Stefan cel Mare”:  institution sued at the European Court for Human Rights 

Police Colonel Simion Carp has been manager  of the Police Academy  at the Interior Ministry since July 2007. He has served several posts at this institution, including prime- deputy rector for education and methodical activity. Since 2004, he worked as head of General Division of State Guard of the Interior Ministry and 2 years later he was appointed deputy -minister, commander of the troops of carabineers of the Interior Ministry. In 2012, the Court of Accounts  found financial irregularities  of millions of lei at the Academy. Among other things, the auditors concluded that in 2011, the university did not report revenues of over 700,000 lei from tuition fees.

Simion Carp (right). Photo: academy.army.md

"Stipulations of the Education Law were violated when the University of Culture was founded within the Academy. There were illegally spent about 529 500 lei for its maintenance.  16 students were expelled from the academy and the sum for their education totaling 476,000 lei  was not collected to the state budget", said  deputy director of the Department of Audit, Victor Munteanu. Simion Carp denied these irregularities in the activity of the institution.

In 2015, the rector (commander)  of the Academy "Ştefan cel Mare" reported revenues of 134.191 lei  from salary. Couple Carp own an apartment of 64.7 square meters, purchased back in 1998, and a plot in the  town Cricova, distributed by the decision of the local council.  A house is built on this plot. The plot is not registered at Cadastre because the house is not finished. According to the statement on income, the rector does not own any other property or business. 

In 2010, a student of the Police Academy was found hanged at the entrance to a basement  on the territory of the institution,  in the residential block  with barracks regime. The police refused to initiate criminal proceedings on the grounds that it was about a suicide. On the other hand, parents of the young man aged 19, with injuries on his body, insisted that their son was killed. Currently, the case is pending at the ECHR and is reported to the Government.

2015 statements on income and property of  other four  university rectors have not yet been published on the portal of the National Integrity  Authority, though 2016 ends shortly. It is about Maria Paslari from State University "Grigore Tamblac"  in Taraclia,  Andrei Popa from the  State University "Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu" in Cahul,  Sergiu Plop from the Military Institute of the Armed Forces "Alexandru cel Bun" and Eduard Corobceanu  from  Tiraspol State University (based in Chisinau).

This investigation has been produced as part of the “Journalists for Integrity in Public Service” campaign, carried out by the Center for Investigative Journalism with the support of the Good Governance Program of Soros Foundation Moldova. The donor does not influence the topic or content of the published investigations.

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