The Ministry of Information Technologies (MIT) has recently provided information on the registered transport units of the Moldovan officials to the Investigative Journalism Center, after the court had obliged it to make such information public. The list of transport units registered in the Registry of Transports at MIT allowed us to check on how sincere the elected representatives of the people are, whether or not they indicated all transport means owned in their 2009 declarations of income or in their declarations filed with the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) before the parliamentary elections. On the other hand, we tried to make a top of officials having the most expensive cars. For those officials who have been working for many years in government agencies, we tried to establish whether the incomes they obtained were sufficient to buy the cars they own. The information sources for this investigation were the declarations of income submitted by the current officials to CEC before the 2009 parliamentary elections, the 2009 declarations of income and the information from MIT.

Top of Officials Having Luxurious Cars 

The first in the top of the present government officials having the most expensive cars is Vlad Filat, who owns a BMV 760 LI. It costs about 130 thousand Euros (approximately 2.2 mlln Lei). According to his 2009 declaration of income, the Prime Minister also owns a Niva and a Toyota RAV 4, produced in 2001. The latter cars are not registered in the Prime Minister’s name. Vlad Filat is also one of the top millionaires in Lei; in the past years he has reported incomes of over 1-2 mlln.

The situation is different for some former president advisors, currently members of parliament (MPs), who afforded to buy extremely luxurious cars costing millions of Lei, although they received civil servant salaries in the past years. For instance, the communist MP, Oleg Reidman who follows Prime Minister Filat in the top of officials having the most expensive cars, has a brand new car - BMW X6 that costs between 75 and 100 thousand Euros -1.2 – 1.4 mlln Lei. Oleg Reidman came into politics eight years ago from the business world. In the past years, while Reidman was Voronin’s advisor on economic issues, his family lived mostly on his salary of a civil servant, which was quiet modest – 2-3 thousand Lei. In spite of this, the official bought a superb luxurious automobile in 2009, immediately after the parliamentary elections. However, Reidman reported a lower purchase price for the car - 991 thousand Lei. Still, not even this amount may be affordable with the Reidman’s income. According to his declaration of income, this MP of the Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova (CPRM) together with his wife had a total income of 223 thousand Lei within two years (2007-2008), and in 2009 - 231 thousand Lei. His family obtained 100 thousand Lei from the sale of a car.

On the same level in the top is the MP of the Democratic Party, Anatolie Ghilas, with a BMW X6, according to the CEC declaration. In his 2009 declaration of income, the MP reported that he had a BMW X 5. It is hard to believe that Ghilas preferred a BMW X5 to a BMW X6, all the more that he did not indicate in his last declaration of income any revenues from a car’s sale. Moreover, even if you take a not-so-new BMW X 5, it comes to 25-30 thousand Euros. In the past year, Anatolie Ghilas reported only salary incomes – 685.9 thousand Lei. The MP family’s income for 2007-2008 was over 1 million Lei.

Next in the top of officials with the most expensive cars comes the MP of the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (LDPM), Calin Vieru who acceded to Parliament from the business world. He owns a 2004 Lexus RX 300, registered in his name in 2006. The car costs between 53 and 64 thousand Euros (900,000 and respectively 1 mlln Lei). The car value reported by Catalin Vieru was diminished – only 200 thousand Lei (11.6 thousand Euros). Another LDPM MP, who also came to the Parliament from the business and who prefers luxurious cars, is Simion Furdui. This official reported a Toyota Land Cruiser bought in 2009 for 725 thousand Moldovan Lei, a Lexus ES 350 – worth 725 thousand Lei, a Dacia (100 thousand Lei) and a Geana truck of 117 thousand Lei. The prices reported correspond to the market ones. We have no objections to those coming from the business world, since they didn’t make their fortune on the taxpayers’ money. However, in the case of Furdui, we cannot understand on what money he bought his cars, since in his income declaration submitted to CEC he showed incomes of 84 thousand Lei for 2007-2008 and 67.6 thousand Lei for 2009. 

Having an MP Mandate and a Dodge Caliber

The top 10 officials owning the most expensive cars includes also Liudmila Belcencova, who has acceded to Parliament on the lists of CPRM, from the journalistic world (NIT TV). According to the MIT data, she owns a superb Dodge Caliber bought brand-new in 2009, immediately after the parliamentary elections. The automobile costs between 25 and 40 thousand Euros (400-600 thousand Lei). The auto experts say that in Moldova there are only several cars of this type and they were ordered from the USA, the sole dealer being a company close to the Communist Party. In her declaration to CEC before the elections, Belcencova reported a 2006 Mitsubishi Colt. Her income for 2007-2008 was of only 16 thousand Lei. MP Belcencova did not submit her declaration of income for 2009 as required by the legislation.

Stepaniuc Has Not Eaten for 3 Years …  

MP Victor Stepaniuc, who came to the Parliament on the CPRM lists continues the string of officials with luxurious cars. He owns a cool Mercedes E220 CDI that costs about 30 thousand Euros (around 500 thousand Lei). In the past 12 years the official was an MP on the CPRM lists. If it is to calculate his income, it appears that Victor Stepaniuc had to not eat, not dress and not incur any other expenses for 3 years in order to afford the Mercedes, since the luxurious automobile values the amount that the official and his wife earned during 3 years. Victor Stepaniuc’s reported income for 2009 is 185 thousand Lei, while for 2007 and 2008 - 421 thousand Lei. According to the MIT data, Victor Stepaniuc has also a Honda Accord (produced in 1999) bought in 2005.

We cannot help asking ourselves: from what sources could the MP purchase such a car? Other two officials also prefer Mercedes E220 – the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Iurie Leanca, who has returned to politics from the business area, and the liberal-democrat MP, Alexandru Cimbriciuc. The latter has a Hammer (costing between 20 and 40 thousand Euros), a Renault and a Moskvich produced in 1994. 

The “brain” of the CPRM, MP Mark Tkaciuk is also part of the top of officials with luxurious cars, although he is a bit more modest than his party colleagues. Immediately after the 2009 parliamentary elections he bought a wondrous new car - Mitsubishi L200. The vehicle costs 26,500 dollars, or about 290 thousand Lei. The value of the car which the MP reported in his 2009 declaration of income is 120 thousand Lei – about 10,000 dollars, half as low as the market price of the car. Mark Tkaciuk, alike his party colleague, Oleg Reidman, had been the advisor of the Moldovan president during the past eight years. Therefore, he had the salary of a public servant, with which one cannot afford to buy a luxurious car, no matter how much he saves up. In 2008, the official did not have a car at all. In 2009, the total income of the MP and his wife came up to 91,380.92 Lei. No matter how hard we try to understand on what sources the official bought his car, we cannot.   

MP Valeriu Strelet from LDPM stated that he had a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander (341,600 Lei), a Toyota Avensis (248 thousand Lei) and a Dacia Logan (41,700 Lei). The Minister of Health, Vladimir Hotineanu, who is a surgeon by profession, has worked only in state healthcare facilities, also has a beautiful car - Mitsubishi Outland purchased in 2008, which costs about 25 thousand Euros, or 425 thousand Lei. According to the MIT data, the Deputy spSaker of the Parliament, Alexandru Stoianoglo, an MP on the lists of the Democratic Party of Moldova (DM), ex-prosecutor and later a lawyer, has a similar car - Mitsubishi Outland.

The former Minister of Economy, Igor Dodon, who held public positions during the past years, has a Mazda 6, bought in 2004, a Nissan Micra, bought in 2006 and a Toyota Land Cruiser. The latter car appears for the first time in his 2009 declaration. The price indicated for the Toyota is 87.7 thousand Lei. In fact, such a car costs about 20 thousand Euros (320 thousand Lei). The budget of the Dodons in the past years, together with the child allowance which the official includes in his incomes, does not cover the cost of the cars they have.

Violeta Ivanov Has a ... Java

Other officials in the top, owners of expensive cars, are MPs Veaceslav Untilă - a BMW 528, Vadim  Misin - a BMW 525 bought in 2005 and a Nissan X Trail, MPs Vasile Balan, Ana Gutu and Anghel Agachi – BMWs 520. The latter MP has also a Dacia Logan produced in 2008. The MP of the Democratic Party (DP), Marcel Raducan has a BMW 735, bought in 2007, which costs about 10 thousand Euros and a Mercedes 320, Valeriu Guma bought a Lexus LX 470 in 2009, which was not very new and has also a VAZ 21099.  MP Iurie Colesnic, who acceded to Parliament on the lists of the Our Moldova Alliance (OMA) has as much as 5 cars: a Mercedes 300, a Chevrolet Trancer, a Fiat Regata, a 1990 Suzuki and a 2007 Dacia Logan. In his 2009 declaration of income the MP reported only the latter two cars, while in the MIT register there are 4 cars. The former Minister of Environment, MP of CPRM, Violeta Ivanov has … a Java 350 motorcycle bought in 2002 and a BMW 728 registered in her name at MIT. This car costs about 10 thousand Euros (over 150 thousand Lei). According to her biography which was publicized when she was appointed minister, the MP had always worked for government agencies and respectively got the salary of a public servant. MP Vladimir Turcanu has a Lexus AX 350, and Iurie Munteanu has two Mercedes. Vadim Cojocaru, who acceded to parliament on the list of the Liberal Party (LP) is a fan of Volkswagen. He owns as much as 4 cars of this make, the latest one is a Passat B5 bought in 2009.

Communists Got Richer after the Parliamentary Elections

At least seven MPs who worked hard in the CPRM electoral campaign, gathering funds for the party, bought luxurious cars shortly after the parliamentary elections. According to the MIT information, Oxana Domenti bought a Skoda Superb in May, which costs about 10 thousand Euros (over 150 thousand Lei), Oleg Reidman – a BMW in June, Ludmila Belcencova – a Dodje Caliber in June. In August, Victor Stepaniuc bought his Mercedes and in September MP Petru Porcescu purchased a Toyota Avensis, which comes to over 10 thousand Euros. It was also in September that the communist MP Mark Tkaciuk bought a brand new Mitsubishi of the latest model. The ex-Minister of Economy, Igor Dodon acquired a Toyota Land Cruiser last year, which costs about 25 thousand Euros (over 400 thousand Lei).

Elected Representatives of the People Are Somewhat “Forgetful”

The communist MP Eduard Musuc forgot to report in his declaration as many as four cars: a 1994 RAF 2203, two Opel Vectra automobiles bought in 2005 and in 2008, and a Peugeot. The latter car appears in his CEC declaration but does not appear in his 2009 declaration. Svetlana Popa, who acceded to Parliament on the CPRM listsowns a Nissan Maxima bought in 2003. In her 2009 declaration, Popa wrote that she didn’t have any cars. Anatol Popusoi, former director of “Moldsilva” is also lying. He owns an Audi A 6 bought in 2008. However, this car is not indicated in any of the declarations of income filed by this communist MP in the last years. The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Alexandru Stoianoglo, also failed to report his Mitsubishi bought in 2007, while Igor Dodon forgot to report his Mazda 6, which is registered in his name at the MIT, and also a Nissan Micra, which is indicated in the CEC declaration of income. The former Minister of Environment, Violeta Ivanov omitted to report the motorcycle and the car she owned, while Dumitru Todoroglo did not report a car of individual production, registered in his name at MIT in 1996 and a Volkswagen Bora bought in 2000, Ghenadie Morcov – a Volkswagen Pasat bought in 2008, Ion Lupu – a ZIL 131 truck and a ALCA H13X121 (we couldn’t find out what vehicle this is), Iurie Stoicov – a UAZ 452 D.

The Minister of Transport, Anatol Salaru forgot to include in his declaration of income a Mercedes 320 G bought in 2003, the Liberal-Democrat MP Mihail Sleahtitchi – a 2001 Opel Vectra car, while his party colleague, Alexandru Cimbriciuc – a Hammer (costing between 20 and 40 thousand Euros), which appears in the CEC declaration, a 2005 Mercedes E220 and a 1994 Moskvich, which are registered at MIT. Igor Corman, a DP MP, forgot to show in his declaration of income a BMW 324 bought in 2002, Aurel Baiesu, MP of the same party omitted a BMW 318 bought in 1997 and a Mazda 626 registered in 2000. These cars are not indicated in the property declarations for the last two years, while being registered at MIT. The liberal MP Vadim Vacarciuc seems to have forgotten that he owns a MAN 19463 truck, which is registered in his name at MIT, while Iurie Colesnic, former OMA MP omitted as many as three automobiles. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Iurie Leanca seems to have also forgotten about a car when he filled in his last declaration of income. Thus, he indicated two vehicles in his declaration: a VAZ 2106 and an AUDI 6, while the MIT registry reveals a superb Mercedes E 220 CDI registered in Leanca’s name on 11 Feb 2009. The mayor of Chisinau, Dorin Chirtoaca, also seems to have forgotten about a Nissan Serena car, registered at MIT in 2003, which doesn’t appear in his declaration of income. 

Officials Prefer Personalized Number Plates  

As the MIT data show, our officials prefer personalized number plates for the cars they drive. Usually car plates include the initials of their names. The following officials have cars with personalized numbers: Vlad Filat - C VF 450, Serafim Urechean -  C SU 001, Victor Stepaniuc – K SW 008, Ion Balan  – CT BI 888, Vladimir Hotineanu -  C VH 555, Vadim Misin -  C MV 020 , Svetlana Popa – C SP 440, Valeriu Ghiletchi – C VG 012, Oleg Reidman – C RO 552, Valeriu Guma -  K VG 070 and C VG 999, Oxana Domenti – C OD 311, Eduard Musuc  – C ME975 OPEL Vectra.      

Top of Officials Having Cheapest Cars

The first one in the top of officials with the cheapest cars, according to MIT data, comes the MP Vitalie Nagacevschi, who owns an Opel Rekord bought in 1996, Vladimir Eremciuc has a 1993 Audi 80 and a 1983 VAY 21063, Maria Postoico – a VAY 21061 produced in 1988, Mihail Sleahtischi has an Opel Vectra produced in 1992, and the Minister of Economy - Valeriu Lazar drives a newer car – a Reno Laguna bought in 2002. However, this doesn’t mean that some of these officials don’t travel by luxurious cars. 

When we completed this story, we realized that a lot of other officials, whom we know for sure to not be travelling by trolleybus, are not included in any of our lists as owning a car(s). We will try to find out who they are and why they don’t appear in the lists and will address that in another investigation. At the same time, we call the readers to help us identify the officials who own luxurious cars and do not report them.

Cornelia Cozonac
Investigative Journalism Center

This investigation was produced under the Journalists Against Corruption Campaign

P.S. The information provided by the Ministry of Information Technologies on the transport units owned by the officials of the current government is posted on the website of the Investigative Journalism Center.

The letter
Anexa 1
Anexa 2
Anexa 3