Vladislav Kozhukhar
According to the document, the Anti-Corruption Center will investigate cases of fraud and embezzlement committed with the use of official position if the amount of damage exceeds the threshold of 250 average monthly salaries for the economy, which is about 4.35 million lei. Cases with lesser damages will be transferred to other criminal prosecution bodies.
According to the authors, this measure will eliminate the dispersion of resources and focus the work of the Anti-Corruption Center on the most complex and significant cases, in line with its role as a specialized anti-corruption body.
The amendments also clarify powers in the area of tax crimes. The Anti-Corruption Center will investigate serious cases involving damage to the financial interests of the European Union, including the illegal use of external funds or the submission of false documents to obtain them. Less serious offenses will remain in the competence of other bodies.
In addition, the Center would be empowered to investigate money laundering as a stand-alone crime, without the need for a prior conviction for the predicate crime from which the funds were derived. This approach is in line with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force, the World Bank and the Council of Europe.
Separately, the draft provides for an additional Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Center. It will require about 570,750 lei annually.
The draft law on the amendment of a string of normative acts, aimed at strengthening the mechanisms of combating corruption, financial crime and organized crime, was elaborated by the Justice Ministry. It is to be adopted by the parliament.
