In a major ruling underscoring Moldova’s intensifying crackdown on political corruption, the Chișinău Court’s Buiucani headquarters on Monday sentenced Svetlana Panciuc, former head of the now-defunct Șor Party branch in Edineț, to four years in a semi-open prison. She was found guilty of complicity in the illegal financing of the party through an organized criminal network.
The verdict marks a significant step in ongoing efforts by Moldovan authorities to dismantle illicit funding schemes that have long plagued the country’s political landscape. According to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, prosecutors successfully proved that activists associated with the unconstitutional Șor Party received and distributed money originating from illegal sources. These funds were used to organize and remunerate participants in large-scale paid protests staged outside the Parliament, the Government, and the Presidency.
Investigators detailed Panciuc’s central role in coordinating this operation. She allegedly managed the logistics behind the mobilization of protesters, including compiling participant lists, handling transportation arrangements via electronic applications, and ensuring protesters received daily payments of 400 lei. Prosecutors further noted that she oversaw substantial volumes of cash delivered by couriers, forming part of a broader suspected money laundering scheme.
Between September 18 and October 16, 2022, Panciuc reportedly supervised payments to 18 individuals who continuously demonstrated in the so-called “Orășelul schimbării” (City of Change) camp outside Parliament. These individuals were paid 100 U.S. dollars per day, totaling 52,200 dollars—equivalent to more than 1 million lei. The court stated that, in total, Panciuc accepted illicit financing amounting to 4,866,767 lei, money funneled into sustaining party operations and advancing its political interests.
Beyond the prison term, the court ordered the confiscation of nearly 4.9 million lei in favor of the state. Panciuc has also been permanently stripped of the right to engage in accounting or financial activities within political parties and barred from any party membership for five years.
Despite the court’s findings, the former party official maintains her innocence and has not admitted guilt. She remains in pre-trial detention as the legal process continues.
The ruling is not final and may be appealed to the Centru Court of Appeal.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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