Three months passed, and once again, for the sixth time in seven years, there is pro-European government, led by former Minister of Information Technologies and Communications Pavel Filip, in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. In this case, pro-European means a radical market neoliberal government, assenting to the most brutal austerity measures dictated by Brussels and the IMF, which, in turn, will affect drastically the poverty index. Filip’s appointment caused violent mass protests with demand of new election and removal of “corrupt oligarchs” from power.

What has preceded the Filip’s appointment? Even before the parliamentary elections on 30 November 2014, it was reported that the three major Moldova’s banks were involved in dubious transactions: in November 2014, they issued loans totaling US$1.0 billion, which traces got lost somewhere in offshore banks, and to think that this amount accounted for more than 12% of Moldova’s GDP. Because of this fraud, former Prime Minister Vlad Filat, one of the most influential persons in the country, was arrested and sent to prison on suspicion of taking bribes. This was the first major arrest on charges of corruption since independence of this small country.

Confidence in justice in Moldova has always been low but it renewed its historical minimum on that day. Confidence in such institutions of the parliamentary republic as Parliament and Government was quite limited as well. While the new pro-European government is trying to convince Brussels again that the country may be trusted, the opposition prepares for presidential election on 30 October, voices are raised, insisting on return to what preceded the political crisis by means of re-election. International economists believe that this scenario would cause the economic and political collapse in Moldova, which, in their opinion, could lead to the seizure of power by pro-Russian parties. So who is involved in this dangerous game? Despite there cannot be an exact answer to this question, special attention should be paid to the recently emerged new party. Everyone in the Republic of Moldova knows that the political platform titled “Dignity and Truth” is funded and governed by representatives or “shadow” of two Moldova’s convicted businessmen put on the international wanted list, who also control mass media. This refers to Victor and Viorel Topa, sentenced to 10 and 8 years in prison, who avoided imprisonment by escaping to Germany, where they are trying to organize an overthrow of the sitting government in Moldova.

They are under protection of the federal government of Germany. German public authorities have been blocking their extradition to Moldova for two years already. In 2011, the Moldovan Court held Victor Topa and his accomplice guilty of misappropriation of shares held by Galina Proidisvet – former vice-president of the bank Victoriabank – and their relatives, and their transfer to another financial institution. Ms Proidisvet filed a lawsuit, in which she accused Victor Topa of theft and extortion of shares worth US$9 million, which occurred in Moscow. He managed to escape to Germany. There he enlisted support of well-connected political figures from Moldova, and his plan on ensuring return of former corrupt Prime Minister Vlad Filat to the political scene in Moldova delivered is bearing fruit. Owing to Topa’s huge influence on certain media (Jurnal TV), he managed to put out a rumor that he requested political asylum in Germany. So the messages that he was not fleeing from justice but was in ward of the democratic state that provided him protection got widespread.

According to investigations of Moldovan journalists, Topa earned his first million US dollars on traffic in arms, drugs and diamonds, using gangster methods for gaining controlling stakes in major mass media. Journalists who spoke openly about investigations into Victor Topa’s frauds were often threatened with murder. His business ties extend down to the German Federal Government, and aircraft “Theodor Heuss”, used by Angela Merkel until 2011, was moved to Iran via the East-European firms controlled by Topa. His foothold in the Republic of Moldova is the already mentioned platform “Dignity and Truth”.

Protection provided to Topa in Germany is a part of the new geopolitical situation. Other politicians and businessmen involved in corrupt are also taken under the protection of Germany. Due to these machinations, Germany expects to achieve victory in today’s struggle of the West against the Russian Federation for the expansion of its influence spheres. Meanwhile, Germany resorts to services of corrupt gangs of such former Soviet republics as Moldova. This game is very dangerous. It undermines peace, not only in this region but also around the world.

Marek Kolski