The parliamentary majority, ready to support the democrat Pavel Filip for the office of PM could not be established without the 7 liberal-democrats and 3 non-affiliated MPs. In the context of street protests, some of them withdrew their signatures when PD insisted on the candidacy of Vlad Plahotniuc. They changed their mind when Pavel Filip was proposed for premiership. Media wrote that the 7 liberal-democrats were called by Vlad Filat, arrested for corruption acts, to vote with the democratic candidate. Contacted by Anticoruptie.md, some of them denied it. Last week, we presented the profiles of the runners from PCRM. Now, you will find details about the ascension in politics of the 7 liberal-democrats and 3 non-affiliated MPs, their businesses, properties and criminal cases.

Ion Balan

Ion Balan, deputy-chairman of PLDM was born in village Lingura, district Cantemir. He is agronomist and manager in public administration by profession. He is part of the team of PLDM since 2007 and became MP in 2009.

According to the income and property statements, completed with some errors from 2009 until present, Ion Balan seems to be a real landowner. The information about plots from the statements on incomes and property shows that the MP expanded his plots since he became MP. In 2008, he owned 107 plots with a total surface of 113,69 hectares estimated at about 621.000 lei and all of them purchased since 1996 (the 108th plot with a surface of half of hectare was for constructions). In 2014, Balan declared that his family owns 126 agricultural plots with a total surface of 140, 95 hectares estimated at almost 900.000 lei, as well as a plot for constructions with a surface of 0,52 hectares estimated at almost 5.000 lei.

In 2014, the MP received a sum of 288.00 lei from the salary and indemnity of MP. He owns a house with a surface of 126,6 square meters placed in his native village, Lingura, district Cantemir. The value of the house was different over the years. In 2009 and 2010, the MP wrote that his house has a cadastral value of 200.000e lei; in 2012, the sum decreased 4 times and reached 45.000 lei. Also in Lingura, Balan owns a commercial space with a surface of 231 square meters, purchased in 2005 with a cadastral value of 39.200 lei.

Ion Balan owns a Chevrolet, 2011, which he purchased in 2012 at the price of 326.000 lei; this officially exceeds the incomes declared for one year. Also, the MP has a lorry GAZ-3307, purchased in 2005 at the price of 5.000 lei, 2 trails purchased in 2004 and 2005 respectively at the price of about 8.000 lei, a tractor purchased in 2000 at the price of 8.000 lei and a trailer for tractors purchased in 1999, at the price of 14.000 lei.

In the statements completed over the last 6 years, the MP admitted inaccuracy and he hid some movable and immovable property. He did not report on any incomes from eventual alienation. That is why; in June 2014 the National Integrity Commission (CNI) performed some searches on his name. Thus, according to the act of finding of CNI, the MP did not report on the auxiliary construction of 54 square meters and other 6 plots, a plot gained in 2003, one - in 2005 and other 4- in 2007. CNI also found that the liberal-democrat MP admitted inaccuracy at movable property; he hid 7 immovable properties in the statement for 2012. Following the findings, CNI informed the General Prosecutor’s Office. We filed an official statement to the Prosecutor but we did not get any reply when we published this investigation. Further details will be provided.

Based on income and property statement, Ion Balan is a prosperous businessman. Thus, he has 100% shares in Podgoreni SRL, enterprise that deals with grapes growing. The company was established in 1999 and has a social capital of 1,133 million lei, and in 2012 he reported incomes from sales estimated at about 9, 3 million lei. When Ion Balan became MP, the company was managed by his son, Stanislav Balan.

Wife of the liberal-democrat MP, Tatiana Balan owns a company - Podgoreni-Plus SRL, founded in 2009. The main activity of the company is processing and tinning of fruits and vegetables and in 2012, she reported about 76.000 lei from sales. Vasile Balan, brother of the MP has prosperous businesses in his native village. He and his wife Raisa Balan, sister in law of the liberal-democrat MP own the company Podgoria Vin SRL (previously, the MP had a share of 25% in the company of the brother). The main type of activity is wine production and the data from the financial report in 2012 show that the business is profitable and the company reported 17, 7 million lei of incomes from sales in 2012.

In March 2015, the companies owned by family members Balan, Podgoreni SRL (20%), Podgoreni-Plus SRL (20%), together with the company of the family of brother Podgoria Vin SRL  and the company of the MP’s niece, Dumitrita Balan – Vitis Demetra SRL (20%) and with other households, established the Business Cooperative „Moldagrovitis”. The president of the cooperative, with main activity in agriculture is the MP Vasile Balan, the MP’s brother and the president of the council is the son of the liberal-democratic MP, Stanislav Balan.

Businesses of family Balan are not welcomed by villagers in Lingura. Journalists from Realitatea TV found that the MP from PLDM and his relatives took possession fraudulently of a part of agricultural lands from the village. Moreover, it seems that one of the companies affiliated to family of MP Balan is involved in dubious tenders. Representatives of the Division of construction and household, local and regional development of the district Council in Cantemir said for the TV channel that the tenders staged by the Mayoralty, for construction of aqueducts in the locality were doubtful. The company Podgoria Vin SRL, except the main activity of grapes cultivation and wine production, is specialized in construction of buildings, engineering nets and aqueducts. Thus, after Podgoria Vin SRL won the tender of aqueduct construction, the company headed by Vasile Balan, sub-contracted another entrepreneur, San Gaz Service, specialized in aqueducts construction and performed the works.

According to local authorities, the road in village Cociulia, district Cantemir was built with some violations. Sergiu Mocanu, chairman of the Movement Antimafie said 2 years ago that the tender was organized under the control of Ion Balan, who ordered that this contest be won by the company "Carpeni", affiliated to his colleague, MP Ivan Ionas, who died in November 2014. „They have performed works estimated at about one million lei less than they showed in the reports. I warned about it, all of them got the money, 2 million 500 lei. I refused to pay one million from this sum. I do not know about how the materials reached the Ministry of Finance, and how they paid. We held discussions and we were pressed ", said in September 2014 Valeriu Mocanu, head of the Division of construction, household, local and regional development of the district Council in Cantemir for  Realitatea TV. Otherwise, company „Carpeni” won for the last 4 years tenders estimated at millions of lei. Four agreements estimated at 14 million lei were signed with institutions in district Cantemir. Contacted by us, the MP denies the accusations. „It is absurd. I have not been involved in any of the transactions”, said the MP.

In 2000, he was decorated the award “Civic Merit” based on the decree of the then-president Petru Lucinschi. In 2006, he was awarded the order „Cuv. Paisie Velicicovski” II grade, „ in sign of gratitude for his activity and contribution to the Orthodox Church in Moldova”. Ion Balan and his brother Vasile are founders of the church in the village. In the local elections from 2015, the liberal-democrat donated 50.000 lei to the party.

The MP denies that he was called by Vlad Filat to vote for the MP fielded by the Democratic Party. “Absolutely, no. He never called me”, said Ion Balan. Also, the liberal-democrat denies the accusations that he was paid or blackmailed to vote with the PM designate: „ There were accusations in general. Nobody blackmailed us. To prevent early elections, we decided to join the parliamentary majority.”

Gheorghe Mocanu

The honorable President of the Youth Organization of PLDM was born in village Molesti, district Ialoveni. Mocanu graduated the University „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” in Iasi where he did Master degree. He participated in different projects of some organizations as Soros Moldova or OSCE; he was member of the National Participative Council at the Government, he is founder member and president of the Association of Young Bessarabeans in Romania and is founder member of the Alliance of Access to Information and Training Community. Also, in 2004 when he was a student and until present, he is founder of the representation of the company ELECTRA in Moldova, Romanian company that manages the design, development and production of interphone systems, access control and electronic equipment.

He came to PLDM when the faction was founded and some months later, he was elected chairman of the Youth Organization of the party and he became MP in 2010, with Nb. 20 on the list of liberal-democrats. He is member of the Standing Bureau of PLDM and member of the Commission economy, budget, and finance in the Legislative. In the electoral run for the parliamentary elections in November 2014, Mocanu donated 80.000 lei.

According to the income statement, in 2014 the MP gained over 250.000 lei from his activity of MP, indemnities and incomes from banks. He owns 2 bank accounts in lei and he has not declared plots or buildings, just an administrative office with a surface of 27,7 square meters in Ialoveni bought in 2008. Also, he owns 47 shares in the social capital estimated at 25.380 lei of SRL "G&V Sistem" in Chisinau, founded in 2004 together with Maria Dutca and Vitalie Pralea. The main activity of the company is advertising; the MP has not declared any income from the activity of this company.

Following a legislative initiative voted inclusively by Gheorghe Mocanu, the MPs will be detained , except cases of serious offence, will be sent to the court without the approval of the Government and will benefit from immunity only in case of political declarations.

Nae-Simion Plesca

In 2001, Nae-Simion Plesca was on the electoral list of PNL. He became a candidate on the lists of PLDM in 2009. In the elections from 2010, the MP was No. 27 on the lists and in the parliamentary elections from November 2014; he was No. 28 on the list of PLDM. He got the mandate of MP in July 2015 after Anatolie Dimitriu, his party colleague was elected president of district Ialoveni and renounced on the office of MP.

Nae-Simion Plesca doubled the number of immovable property since he became MP. Officially, he owns 2 houses: one with a surface of 304 square meters and another one- with a surface of 716 square meters. The MP has a small apartment with a surface of 26 square meters in Bucharest and 2 apartments in Chisinau with a total surface of 38 and 35 square meters respectively. Also, family Plesca owns commercial and production facilities estimated at over 400.000 lei and 3 plots for construction with a total surface of 30 acres. The statement for 2013 covers a car Pegeot 307, a bank account with 10.500 euro and a credit estimated at over 500.000  lei. In 2013, he received incomes estimated at 302.000 lei together with his wife. Plesca is the official manager of two companies: SRL MS-Publicitate –a press agency (with a purchase value estimated at 11.400 lei, participation quota 100%) and SRL Dansorpres (purchase value 5.400 lei, participation quota 100%).

Half of the immovable property owned by family Plesca was purchased in 2012. One year later, the MP was investigated by the National Integrity Commission that was notified on an eventual violation of the income statement for 2012. According to the findings of CNI, Plesca bought 4 immovable properties in 2012 and a plot estimated at over 1, 3 million lei, in conditions when the total incomes of his family did not exceed 300.000 lei. Also, CNI showed that the MP did not declare 11 banking accounts: current, card, deposit accounts and 3 cars.

Plesca defended himself and said that he bought the properties from savings. As for cars, the MP said that he sold them some years ago based on procuration. As for undeclared banking accounts he said that these were owned by his wife and they are included in the statement on financial means. Also, according to Plesca, the other accounts are included at different rubrics of the statement. In December 2013, CNI closed the case on the name Nae-Simion Plesca.

Two years ago, the portal Clean Moldova reported with reference to many MPs that Nae-Simion Plesca  initiated the project on “enhancing the living conditions” for MPs. According to them, the building was supposed to be constructed by a construction company controlled by them. Clean Moldova portal wrote that Plesca is not a partner of any construction company but the company Dansorpres has previously built some social buildings in the Botanica sector of the capital. Plesca denied the accusations. The block was not built. In the electoral run from 2014, Nae-Simion Plesca donated 100.000 lei to PLDM.

Vladimir Hotineanu

Vladimir Hotineanu was involved in many scandals related to “businesses in medicine”. He became MP in 2009 and he was immediately fielded by PLDM for the seat of Minister of Health. He owned this mandate until January 2011 when he became MP and was elected head of the Commission of social protection, health and family and after the elections from 2014- president of the Commission culture, education, research, youth, sport and media.  

Public accusations on the name of Hotineanu are also related to the businesses of his family. He declared officially that he was the founder of Farmsintez SRL, that imports the medicine „Octreotid”, and owns 18% of shares. His son Adrian is founder (16%) together with other 2 citizens from Russia, Alexandr Litviniuc and Andrey Akinfeev, 50% each and Anatol Cazac,  16%. Clean Moldova portal wrote that the company owns a pharmacy in Buiucani sector of the capital and in January 2009, it won a tender to deliver a set of medicines to the Republican Hospital. Hotineanu’s son is founder of Vial Brio SRL, established in 2010 together with many persons including the former democratic MP  Iurie Bolboceanu.

His daughter Iulia Hotineanu ( Scobioala after marriage) got a business in 2010 when he was Minister. Her name was among the founders of Cristal Clean SRL, that actually won all tenders organized in the hospitals from Chisinau for laundry wash from public money, wrote Ziarul de Garda three years ago. According to the data from the State Registration Chamber, Iulia Hotineanu owned 25% of social capital. Shortly, she was excluded from the list of founder and her capital was taken over by one of the co-founders, Cristina Mudrea, who according to quoted source is the god-daughter of  Vladimir Hotineanu and former colleague of faculty with Iulia. Currently, according to the data of the State Registration Chamber, Mudrea owns 60% of the company, other two owners, Mihail Enache and the Italian citizen Francesco Paddu have 20 % of shares. The company is still close to PLDM. Name of one of the employee, Rodion Cosciug is among the donors of the faction in 2014 elections. He donated one million lei and this is over 20% from the incomes reported by the company in 2012. Accidentally or not, 2 weeks after the parliamentary elections on November 18,  „Cristal Clean” won an agreement estimated at 17 million lei following a tender announced by the municipal clinic Hospital in Balti, according to the official website of the Public Procurement Agency, showed an investigation of the Center for Investigative Journalism.

Alina Hotineanu, daughter-in-law of the liberal democratic MP, obstetrician-gynecologist is involved in businesses in medicine. She owns half of shares in Repromed SRL, that manages the clinic of artificial insemination „Repromed” in Chisinau that is the only importer of medicines necessary to treat infertility. The Civic Initiative for a Clean Parliament publishes the information that in 2009 when Hotineanu was minister, he accused the National Participative Council of protecting the state monopoly in reproductive healthcare field. Another company of Alina Hotineanu, Reconstruct Civil SRL with a 100% shares is registered on the same address of the company and clinic “Repromed”.

Hotineanu was involved in the „scandal of insulin”. In summer 2011, he was accused by the current president of Parliament Andrian Candu, of involvement in the mafia of insulin, when he was Minister of Health. It is about an understanding between two companies that delivered insulin on the Moldovan market. In 2013, he was charged of mal-praxis and intention to start smuggling with spirit in the transnistrian region. He was accused by the president of the Association „Moldova Mea”, Fiodor Ghelici. Also, the Civic Initiative for a Clean Parliament reported in 2010 that Hotineanu went to Sangera using the office car from the Ministry of Health to support the candidate of PLDM for the office of mayor. Vladimir Hotineanu denied all public accusations.

Vladimir Hotineanu was deputy minister of health (1998-1999). The bulletin „ Get to know your candidate” from November 28, 2010 showed that Hotineanu  issued licenses and authorizations for some economic units, thus he violated the stipulation of the legislation, reports a finding of the Court of Accounts. Also, Hotineanu in his office of president of the Commission for humanitarian aid distribution authorized the import of medicines with validity term of less than one year and without quality certificates of producers, unusual package, without any details about the series and conditions of preservation.

In 2013, CNI performed a control on the observation of the legal regime of the income and property statement on the name of Hotineanu. The case was closed as no violations were found. The finding from CNI shows that the MP together with his wife own 13 plots purchased between 2000 and 2009. According to the property statement for 2014, published on the website of the Parliament, Hotineanu has a house with a surface of 144 square meters, an apartment with 72 square meters and a plot with a surface of half a hectare. Also, he owned a car Mitsubishi Outlander, 2012 which he bought in the same year. In the statement for 2010, after he got the mandate of MP, he declared a house on str. Paris in Chisinau, 2 plots and a car, Mitsubishi Outlander, bought in 2008.  Hotineanu  is among the MPs who prefer nominal numbers for his cars. The reporters from CIJM said that he opted for a number with the initials of his name - C VH 555.

Vladimir Hotineanu was born in 1950 in town Kizil-Orda, Kazakhstan. He is one of the best surgeons in the countries. He was part of the team that carried out the first liver transplant in Moldova, in February 2013. Shortly, the head of the state Nicolae Timofti awarded him the “Order of the Republic” and in late 2013, Hotineanu was one of the surgeons who operated Timofti.

"Vlad Filat did not call me; these are Valeriu Strelet’s aberrations. Vlad Filat called!?  Where from ?", asked Vladimir Hotineanu. He denied the fact that he received money or offices for his vote or that he was blackmailed.

Mihaela Spatari

Mihaela Spatari is one of the youngest MPs (27 years old) and officially, she is one of the poorest. She started her political career at the age of 18 when she became a member of PLDM and shortly, she is elected deputy-chairman of the youth organization of the faction. A year after she becomes party member, Mihaela Spatari is registered on the list of candidates of PLDM for the parliamentary elections from 2009 but she does not accede the Legislative. She is a candidate on the list of PLDM in the 2010 elections. In the parliamentary elections from November 2014,  Mihaela Spatari is included on the list of PLDM under t No. 20 and she became MP at the age of 25. The property statement for 2014, the young MP does not declare any house, except SRL Evenimente Unice, specialized in entertaining activities, rental of personal goods and household items. The manager of the enterprise is Nicu Donica, member of the youth organization of PLDM. According to the data from official registers, the company does not have any incomes.

The CV of Mihaela Spatari is not published on the webpage of the Parliament. The information on socialization nets and from some interviews from press,  reports that she was born in Telenesti. She lived in Orhei for a period of time and she is specialist in communication. The parliamentary activity of Mihaela Spatari is modest. The young MP signed together with her party colleagues, 3 bills and a draft decision:  the draft decision on the inquiry Commission set up  to assess the execution of the commitments  stipulated by the leasing agreement of the assets managed by the State Enterprise „ Chisinau International Airport” and its afferent plot; draft Law on amending and completing some legislative acts (Law on state enterprise- art.3; Law on Stock Companies– art.4'1);  Draft law to amend and complete the Law no.1593 dated 26.12.2002 on the way and term to pay the compulsory insurance and medical assistance allowances.