A family of businessmen from Chisinau has a luxury car with diplomatic plates issued by the Moldovan Embassy in Belarus. Also, along with other neighbors businessmen fenced a few hundred meters in RâşcaniPark from the capital, for personal use. To mention that, dozens of acres of public land, in parks, are used by influential people for the construction of houses worth millions, to boarded the courts of these houses or other buildings, adjacent to them. Hall finds irregularities, but, most of the times, perpetrators escape unpunished or receive only mild sanctions.

At the end of 2009, four families from Zimbrului str., near Labor Institute, submitted a request to the ChisinauCity Hall, calling for the issuance of a certificate of urbanism to arrange land near the houses of millions they were living.

Fined with 11 thousand lei

They demanded from the authorities a land with an area of 7500 m2, including 3900m2 from Râşcani Park, under a public-private partnership.    The four families were to arrange the area without fence and the right to build capital construction. Chisinau City Hall issued just the urbanism certificate in which it was noted that the project was necessarily to be coordinated with JV “Green Areas Management Association.” But the families Bişir, Tuluș, Sturza and Sterea, without coordination with green spaces and other necessary documents, including a contract with the municipality, occupied, abusive 3,900 m² of the park, and families Bişir and Tuluș have illegally occupied 250 and 350 m2.  Fencing even the land with capital fence, from concrete, that has been installed unauthorized.

Two years ago, the municipal authorities have carried out an inspection at that address, noting that there has also been dug an artificial lake, a fact that can have a negative impact on the land and surrounding residential blocks, with the risk of landslides and flooding living houses. In 2012, the Prosecutor General (PG), together with the State Ecological Inspectorate conducted a control setting illegal felling of trees and illegal land restriction of common use. So, Bișir and Tuluș families  were fined with about 11 000 lei.

 “Very nice, but only for personal use”

Along with Vasile Coșuleț, senior specialist in the architecture Directorate, urbanism and land relations in the ChisinauCity Hall, and Galina Leahu, deputy head of the Association of Management of green spaces, we went to the spot. With about 200 meters to the fenced land, there is an indicator that notifies that access is denied. Then, you get to a barrier guarded by an employee of a security agency. After City Hall representatives presented themselves the man accompanied us throughout our “trip”. Behind the houses of millions is observed only green grass, a few trees, an artificial lake and a tennis court. All fenced.

“Here, where they fenced 250m2 and the other – over 300m2 is public land. All constructions which are here were made in the absence of the project of execution. They refer to an urbanism certificate which was actually released only for the design. In that certificate is written clearly that they are not entitled to fence the land and make capital construction. They illegally seized about two acres of land. This is public land and limited the access of people. We have made control acts.  We addressed to PG and other institutions. Prosecution response was that a fine was applied and it all ended with that” says Vasile Coșuleț. Galina Leahu confirms: “People from here have called the land for planting. It was an agreement of a public-private partnership. Sketch was absolutely different from what we see now. There had to be arranged green spaces, with sidewalks, but they totally deviated from the original project. When they coordinated the project with entitled bodies, including Green Spaces, we indicated that the arrangement of the land must be made without cutting the trees and without fence, which was not met. Now is fenced and there are attempts to legislate land with the aim of privatization. They arranged very nice, but only for personal use”, she says.

“We do not ward off anyone”

The four families living there, accused by City Hall of illegally occupation of the

land defends and say they have no guilt. “Basically, the gentlemen of the valley, as they came, they said, let’s arrange. As the City Hall did not give us permission, we have not restricted. Scheme from the beginning was to plant trees and arrange the territory. There shouldn’t be a fence and digging a pond in any case. The lake was not planed. We agreed that each arrange adjacent territory. We, Sterea and Sturza families, complied with the Town Hall requests. But they, in the valley, you saw what they did? Have you seen the dam that resulted in that artificial lake, causing landslides and gathers in the summer swarms of flies? They cleared many trees. We just cleared just few with the agreement with of the ecology, and planted others instead. If in the future we will be allowed something, we will do it. Neighbors from the valley, Tuluș and Bișir families insisted on fencing. We opposed. Now they are trying to take from our adjacent land. We have problems, really, “says Elena, Sterea family representative, stating that in the project planning area was invested “big money “.

“When there was dirt, need, misery, nobody at City Hall came to see drug addicts there. Once we got about eight thousand blocks of land, a thousand cube of mold, we made it nice, we did not fence … a problem started. I do not want to talk about my neighbors. We have not restricted anything. Please, come in, we do not ward off anyone. Contrary, in the summer, children came there. We do not ban them. We planted trees, grass … What does the Hall want to do? To remove trees and grass that we brought? We invested a lot of money and, in a moment, I was sorry, “says Mihai Sturza, cousin of former premier Ion Sturza, owner of several Companies.

“Here was dirt and chaos …”

Families that fenced the land, including a part of the park, are Tuluș and Bișir, both originaly from Taraclia.

“There is no park”, says Elena Tuluș. “Here was dirt and chaos… and dead people have been found here, syringes from drug addicts … We cleaned, it’s pretty, as it should be… but I don’t know what the Hall wants.” Asked why she restricted three hundred meters of public land, Tuluș said: “This was restricted because documents were given to take land on lease. And no more answers. I cleaned at neighbors too. Then began the scandal that they wanted, and then they didn’t…” she said.

“I have nothing to comment. The only thing that perhaps you have in mind is a ravine. There is a deal on arranging it, and quite an important work has been done, which included huge expenses, nothing else, there is no more restriction there. It is only the result of the enormous expense, of millions, that’s all. This work was undertaken for the good of the city. We have a certificate from the municipality allowing us to do the works, with the request: “Do, please, something in the ravine.” Over 50 cars have taken out all the garbage from there. For our nice gesture, now we are questioned, instead of being thanked. I think the middle is rather the will of certain persons wishing to receive bribes, “told us Ivan Bişir.

Businessman winning at ECHR

To mention that Ivan Bişir is a member of the Board of the Bank “FinComBank” and general director  at “Tarservice-company” Ltd., a company exporting wine , especially to Belarus. His wife Svetlana Bișir, together with her neighbor, Elena Tuluș are founders of the companies “Tarservice-company” Ltd., and “Taraclia-TV” Ltd., which, according to the statute, are dealing with the production of cinematographic films and video.

Bişir and Tuluș names are included in a file that Moldova lost at the ECHR . The couple complained to the Strasbourg court that on June 3, 2005, being at a wedding party, Ivan Bișir and Ivan Tuluș were detained by masked police. Police officers informed them that they were arrested on suspicion of falsification of a contract and theft in extremely large sums of money from a third party company.  Later, in the wedding night, police officers raided the homes of applicants. A few days after the arrest, the Prosecutor has issued a press release in which it presented the two as members of a criminal gang.

Subsequently, in October 2006, the prosecution against Bișir and Tuluș was closed for lack of evidence, and they addressed to ECHR.

Court granted Ivan Bişir 15 thousand euros for moral damages, Svetlana Bișir and Elena Tuluș  1200 euro each for moral damage and 1,200 euro for trial costs and expenses .

BMW X6 with diplomatic plates

In the yard of Tuluș family often can be observed a car with diplomatic plates. More specifically, a BMW X6 with registration CD 22 11 71. Numbers belonging to the Moldovan Embassy in Belarus, and the car with this numbers is used by Tuluș family in developing the business they have in the country of Lukashenka.

To find conditions under which a car next generation market worth over a million USD, has diplomatic numbers Moldovan Embassy in Belarus, I contacted George Hioară, Moldovan Ambassador to Belarus.
First, I asked him if the number of diplomatic CD November 22, 71, a BMW X6 belongs to Moldovan Embassy in Belarus.

For finding out conditions under which a car of the next generation that is worth over a million lei on the market has diplomatic numbers of Moldovan Embassy in Belarus, I contacted Gheorghe Hioară, Moldovan Ambassador in Belarus.  First I asked him if the diplomatic number CD 22 11 71, of a BMW X6, belongs also to Moldovan Embassy in Belarus. He replied affirmative. Hioară told us, however, that the car and, respectively, the number did not belong to businessmen families Tuluş and Bişir.

“The car once belonged to the Moldovan Embassy in Belarus. It is now removed from the record. Now, these numbers are no longer used. It was removed from the evidence last year. At the moment, the car is not used. And the number is not assigned to anyone. Embassy has four cars with diplomatic plates”, told us Hioară. He admits, however, that he known both families Tluș and Bişir. “The names of these people tell me as much as say the other businessmen that have business here. They come to the embassy, ​​asking our support in some cases, “says the ambassador, who exercise this function since 2010. However, people in the area contradict him.

They told us that the car was seen on Zimbrului Street two weeks ago, but that it is hidden by the owners after the scandal with diplomatic numbers from this summer.

“With the diplomatic number everything is legal”

Tuluș family confirmed that they have this car. “But who are you. I am being serious; I do not want to speak on this subject. And who owns diplomatic plates knows what for and where from. Arențt you interested in other interests of our country? So that you know, with the diplomatic number everything is legal and there are no problems. Why does the newspaper have to deal with such things? There are others who should do it. Did you understand where these diplomatic numbers from are, do you know everything? Are you calm now or not yet? Are you interested in the wines from Belarus as well? Occupy yourself with other things. Imagine that the businessman is a driver and nothing else. That’s it. I am telling you:”do not get into such things. Good buy”, told us Elena Tuluș, Founder of Tarservice-company” Ltd and „Taraclia-TV” Ltd.

Note that, in May, in the press, have appeared dozens of fancy cars with diplomatic plates, most of them belonging to people who were not employees of embassies. Among those with diplomatic plates belonging to the Moldovan Embassy in Russia undercurrents name of Ilan Shor, his wife, Jasmin, and of her son. Then, sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration told ZdG that diplomatic number costs not less than 30 000 USD. CNA announced that they are in charge of the case, but so far, the findings of the investigation were not made public.

RoseValley without 1000 m2

The case from RâşcaniPark is not the only one. Almost, in every park in Chisinau, after a more thorough check can be found deforestation of trees and land seized improperly. In the RoseValley, on Avicenna Street, two families had illegally seized over 1,000 m2 from the park.

After an inspection by the Department of Land and Green Areas Management Association

has been found that Eugene and Elmira Cârciumaru family, holding in the area 500 m2 of land, illegally occupied a plot of land, municipal property, with an area of ​​1000 m2, of which 750 m2 Rose Valley park boundaries.

“Illegally occupied land area is twice larger than the transmitted field to own by local government decision,” says the control document of City Hall.

In early November, the deputy Nistor Grozavu addresses Inspectorate General of Police (IGP) a letter asking for the intervention of law enforcement in this case. “The result of the examination, it was determined that in this case, the State Construction Inspection staff has compiled a report based on art. 179 Offences Code, being sent for examination and receipt of a decision by the District Court as required by law. It was found that the dispute arose between you and Eugene Cârciumaru is in the competence of the court, where we recommend that you address in particular”, is mentioned in IGP answer.

Previously, an information letter was also sent to the Posecutor by the ChisinauCity Hall, as well with no results.

The neighbor of Cârciumaru family also occupied about 400 m2 in the same park. In this case

as well although detected by the authorities, the illegality was punished more formal. Prosecutors decided not to start the prosecution on the Angela Magla name because, previously, she has been fined with one thousand lei for illegally appropriated public land. The court will now rule vis-a-vis the dismantling buildings on that land.

“I think they are laughing at us”

ZdG with City Hall representatives visited several parks in Chisinau. In Mircesti park, for example, have been found several houses that owners have built without the necessary documents. Some inhabitants of the area have even worked the land near the houses, in order of use in agriculture. Note that, in many cases, there are even final decisions of the courts in which those who built the parks are to demolish the buildings, but they withstand even a few years after the judgment, which, for various reasons are not executed.

“That’s how it is in all parks subordinated by ChisinauCity Hall. Almost every time we write tons of papers that we address to the Prosecution, Ecology, the State Inspection in construction and the most insulting is that we write, but measure is undertaken. It all remains at the initial stage that people continue to build. I think they are laughing at us, that you come and kind of scare us, do many things and ultimately for them to win. First, the City must deal with all these unauthorized constructions; it must have levers to knock them down. But unfortunately, the legislation gave it to the State Ecological Inspectorate and State Construction Inspection and they or do not have work, or do not want to take appropriate action, “said Vasile Coşuleţ.

Those who built in the parks must be asked why they did so. When you are not sure you can legislate the land, how can you build a house? It means that these people know that by some levers and methods, with time will legislate ownership and therefore built,” thinks Galina Leahu.

Iurie SANDUŢA, iurie.sanduta@zdg.md

Victor MOŞNEAG, victor.mosneag@zdg.md