The General Inspectorate of Police (IGP) announces that on Wednesday, October 19, the Belgian authorities informed the law enforcement bodies of Moldova about the acceptance of the extradition of the former head of the Moldovan Railways (CFM) Iurie Topala, announced in international search on November 23, 2021, for the purpose of arrest and extradition through the OIPC Interpol channels.

According to the IGP, in a few days Topală will be handed over to the authorities in Chisinau.

“He is under criminal investigation under Art. 190, para.5 (Fraud), Art. 191, para. 5 (embezzlement of foreign assets), art. 325, para. 2 (active bribery), art.327, para. 1 (abuse of power or abuse of office)”, announces the IGP.

On 11 January 2022, the Belgian authorities detained Iurie Topala at the “Gosselies – Charleroi” airport in Belgium.

In mid-February 2022, the authorities in Chișinău sent the Belgian law enforcement authorities all the necessary documents for the extradition of Iurie Topala. At the time, the head of the IGP’s international police cooperation department, Viorel Țențiu, told ZdG that the Belgian authorities were analysing the documents submitted by Moldova and would decide on the extradition of Iurie Topala.

Iurie Topală, a former municipal councillor and an exponent of the Liberal Party, led the CFM from 2015 to 2019.

In 2019, ZdG wrote that Topală owned a thriving business in the road sector – “Ruta-Prim” Ltd. – which manages in Chisinau the routes: 113, 135, 186, 188, 192 – with more than 240 minibus units and about 25 buses on route 22 and the Chisinau-Grătiești route.

In 2012, Iurie Topală’s name appeared in a ZdG investigation into the administration of routes in Chisinau.