The Intelligence and Security Service (SIS) has notified the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) about the candidate of the Chance party for mayor of Balti, Șapa Victoria, and the candidate of the same political party for mayor of Orhei – Alexei Lungu. According to the institution, they allegedly promote “misleading narratives” with the aim of corrupting voters.

According to a letter sent by the head of SIS Alexandru Musteața, the two “intend to influence the electoral processes by resorting to levers of corruption and illegal financing directed by the criminal group “Shor”, through the so-called “infrastructure projects” and “social projects” (Orhei and UTAG cases)”. The “projects” are allegedly externally funded by fugitive MP Ilan Shor, through Russian and Israeli citizen Igal Shved, to whom more than 650 thousand euros were transferred by Victor Gutuleac – a trusted person of Shor.

“In the case of access to public office at the local level by using foreign funds with a criminal origin, there are eminent risks that the criminal group “Shor” will resort to the same subversive procedures by corrupting the Moldovan electorate and the other elections in the country (presidential 2024 and parliamentary 2025),” the document issued by SIS states.

As examples, the SIS cited statements made by the two candidates and their representatives in public appearances.

“We, the team of Ilan Shor, supported the political party “Chance” led by Alexei Lungu, and we also support Victoria Șapa for the post of mayor of the municipality. Balti. You all know that we have a broad background of social, economic and infrastructure projects”. “Mr Shor, thanks to international investors, raised the question of paying the pension supplement of 1000 lei to pensioners with pensions up to 3000 lei”. “Dear people of Balti, Șapa +Șor equals chance for Balti. Victoria Șapa is our team’s man, she has the full confidence of Ilan Șor”, “Victoria Șapa is Ilan Șor’s man”, said Pavel Verejanu, the representative of candidate Șapa, during an election debate on 18 October, notes SIS.

Thus, the SIS notes that it sent the letter in order to “remove the causes and conditions specified in this complaint and to curb the hostile intentions of the exponents of the “Șor” criminal group that could endanger state security”.

The General Inspectorate of Police (IGP) has published several recordings of the case opened on the fact of illegal financing of the Chance party, as well as independent candidates “supported from the shadows” by the party. IGP chief Viorel Cernăuțeanu told a press briefing on Friday, October 27, that dozens of people are being investigated, some of them working with state institutions, and that millions of lei in transactions are allegedly involved, with the money coming from the Russian Federation. The accusations were denied by the party chairman.

The statements were made in the context of more than 60 raids carried out on Thursday 26 October at several locations across the country at the homes of Chance party members and at the political party’s headquarters.

“The law enforcement bodies, in the process of documentation, find a wide phenomenon throughout Moldova related to the financing of electoral campaigns, bribery of voters, forgery of signatures on lists to support so-called independent candidates who are actually promoted by the political party.

The two massive raids targeted 22 localities – 3 municipalities and 19 districts. In the process of investigation, conducted jointly with other state institutions, the vast majority of transactions that have been documented come from outside Moldova and there is reasonable suspicion that they come from the Russian Federation and are managed by a criminal group organized in the interest of a political party, reasonable suspicion of financing comes on the Chance party,” said the head of the IGP.

Viorel Chernateanu also said that some independent candidates registered for the general local elections to be held on 5 November are in fact from the Chance party.

“The law enforcement bodies have managed to document through evidence a number of illegal actions carried out by these criminal groups. In particular this money is for buying voters and rigging the electoral process. We will see in the evidence presented today how to corrupt or camouflage the financing of a party, where the person only participates with his signature. In order to secure the process, the person was asked to bring in legal income so that they would be covered in the funding lists for that political party. In the case of pensioners, these amounts declared as donations were up to 2000 lei. In the case of people who are employed in the labour force, the amount indicated as donation is up to 9 000 lei (…) At the same time, for a series of candidates nominated as independents, the direct and subordinate involvement of the Șansă party was demonstrated, where lists and the filling of signatures by forgery demonstrated after the collection of evidence (…)”, reported Cernăuțeanu.

Chance chairman Alexei Lungu denied the authenticity of the recordings and suggested party members “not to be intimidated even if they come with masks at 5-6 am to scare you”.

“Those from the institutions of force, that I can’t call them state institutions, after failing to find any evidence for the crimes they are doing and no argument, started to launch in the public space all kinds of fake news, audio and video montages just to somehow argue their illegal activity in front of their masters, those who gave them orders,” Lungu said in a video published on social media.

Law enforcement officers raided 65 places in several localities across the country on Thursday, October 26, in a case of illegal financing of a political party and independent representatives guided by the same stuff in local elections.