Vladislav Cojuhari
Amendments to existing legislation, approved by the government on Wednesday, June 17, are intended to grant financial intelligence officers special legal status and provide the enhanced professional safeguards necessary for handling sensitive and complex information.
Under the new rules, financial intelligence officers will be granted expanded rights to access and process restricted-access data. At the same time, they will be subject to strict obligations to uphold the principles of good faith, confidentiality, and independence from any political influence.
The specialist will bear clear responsibility for analysis, oversight, and international cooperation—tasks that go beyond the scope of ordinary civil service and require special measures to protect personal data and state secrets.
According to the draft’s authors, establishing this position will not require additional expenditures from the state budget in 2026, as the agency will cover the associated costs using internal reserves. Furthermore, the draft provides for the elimination of one deputy director position, which will result in savings of more than 4.3 million lei in personnel expenses.
“The Service for the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering needs clear tools, specialized staff, and adequate capacity for rapid response. The Service is becoming the main center of expertise and coordination in this area. These changes are necessary for the Republic of Moldova to establish a functional and reliable system capable of effectively preventing the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing,” said Minister of Justice Vladislav Cojuhari.
