Moldovan authorities have arrested the country’s consul in Istanbul, accusing him of taking bribes from Middle Eastern people in exchange for visas and other documents.
The Moldovan prosecutor’s office and intelligence service, SIS, told a joint press conference on November 17 that Veaceslav Filip was detained for 72 hours as he arrived from Istanbul at the Chisinau airport late the previous day.
Officials alleged that Filip had issued visas illegally "for hundreds of dollars each" to "Arab people," mainly "from Syria and Iraq."
Moldovan intelligence chief Mihai Balan said Filip had endangered the country’s security and urged the parliament to pass a law that would authorize the SIS to post agents at all Moldovan consulates and embassies to help curb "widespread corruption" there.
In an interview with RFE/RL on November 17, former SIS Director Valentin Dediu expressed doubts about the official allegations against Filip, saying the whole case might be just a ploy to get parliament to adopt the law.
The Moldovan Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling Filip "an experienced and dedicated diplomat."
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
'Don't Underestimate Them': Ukrainian Troops Describe Capture Of North Korean POWs
2Who Is Ahmed Al-Awda, The Man Who Could Be A Threat To Syria's New Rulers?
3The Rich Ukrainian Who Gave Up His Yachts For Drones On The Front Line
4How Ukrainian Troops Blocked Russian Bid To Cross Dnieper River
5As Russia and China Step Up Arctic Presence, Greenland Grows In Importance For U.S.
6After Her Photo Went Viral, Maria Zaytsava Was Killed Fighting For Ukraine
7Russian Forces Tried To Stop Removal Of Captured North Korean Soldier From Battlefield
8Russia Targets Ukraine's Key Lithium Reserves
9Exclusive: Dogged By Debts, Disputes, And Divorce, A Russian Oligarch Also Draws FBI Scrutiny
10Massive Russian Attack Targets Ukraine Energy Sites Amid Winter Freeze
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
