The integrity inspectors and representatives of the Legal Department of the National Integrity Authority (NIA) of the Republic of Moldova participated in two webinars on “Identification of fictitious transactions and presentation of evidence in court” on 16 and 19 February 2021.

During the webinars, the participants considered the methodology applied in identifying fictitious transactions and calculating unjustified wealth and discussed additional steps for effective investigation. The webinar also facilitated discussions on international practices and practical cases in identifying fictitious transactions and the use of basic open source to support investigations.

Several legislative challenges to the effective investigation and sanctioning of fictitious transaction in the Republic of Moldova were underlined. Mainly, participants emphasized insufficiency of legislative measures to allow for the declaration of the market value of assets, inadequate controls on third parties to support evidence gathering in fictitious transactions and limited possibility to request official expertise in order to establish the market value of assets.

GRECO, in its 2nd compliance report, adopted in September 2020, recommended ensuring a significantly more independent and effective control, by the NIA, of compliance by members of Parliament, judges and prosecutors with the rules on conflicts of interest, incompatibilities, statements of personal interests and statements of income and property. GRECO also concluded that more resolute measures are required to make NIA more effective and efficient, while respecting judicial independence.

This activity was organized within the framework of the “Action against corruption in the Republic of Moldova”, funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the US Department of State and implemented by the Council of Europe.