A criminal case was started on the illegal exploitation of the lake placed at the bounds of the Tomai and Gaidar villages, Ceadir-Lunga district of UTA Gagauzia that was seized by the brothers of a socialist MP in Parliament. This information was confirmed by the General Prosecutor's Office in an official letter after reporters of the Center for Investigative Journalism published an investigation about how the residents of the village, headed by the mayor were trying to regain public property for more than a year. All efforts were in vain.

According to the letter signed by Alexandru Nichita, Chief Prosecutor of the Division of policies, reforms and protection of society’s interests within the General Prosecutor’s office, the criminal case on the illegal use of the lake placed at the bounds of Tomai and Gaidar villages started on October 19. On October 20, the case was sent for criminal prosecution to the Prosecutor's Office of UTA Gagauzia, though prosecutors in the southern of the country claimed that this case was outside their competence.

"The prosecutor's office analyzed the petitions, we reacted, but it is not within our competence as this is a civil case. As far as I know, one of the sides is even slowing down the process. The Prosecutor's Office is not entitled to interfere in a civil case about the use of a lake after the agreement expired ", said Ruslan Caraivan, current prosecutor of Gagauzia to reporters.

The lake at the bounds of Tomai and Gaidar villages covers an area of over 70 hectares. According to the investigation of the Center for Investigative Journalism, two brothers of the socialist  MP Fiodor Gagauz continue to use it for fishing and fish marketing even if the lease agreement concluded in early 2000 with the local government expired in June last year. The villagers, headed by the mayor, have sent dozens of requests and petitions to regional and central law enforcement bodies, as well as to decision-makers, but nothing has worked yet, all suggesting that the mayor should go to court. He did this too, except that the two trials beat the time. "We do not have any support and we do not know what to do. Ultimately, you, journalists can help us... ", complained Fiodor Topciu, mayor of Tomai village.

On the other hand, neither the socialist MP nor his brothers using the pond commented on the situation. "We are different families, each of them with own worries. I do not know who the lawyer is, I'm not dealing with this. All the best", said Fiodor Gagauz, MP in the Parliament since 2014.

Under the law, despotism causing significant damages is punishable by imprisonment from 3 to 8 years.