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CHISINAU, November 20 (Itar-Tass) -- The Moldovan Prosecutor General’s Office
has dropped all criminal charges against former defense minister and director of
the Moldovan Information and Security Service Valeriu Pasat.
Pasat told the media on Friday he had received a confirmation from the
Prosecutor General’s Office.
He was taken into custody in March 2005, and sentenced to ten years in
custody in January 2006 for the illegal selling of weaponry in the capacity of
the Moldovan defense minister. In July 2006 the Chisinau Appeal Chamber found
Pasat not guilty of selling 20 Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets to the United States.
He headed for Moscow immediately after the release from prison in summer 2007.
The defense asked for complete acquittal, but the Prosecutor General’s Office
brought new charges. Pasat was accused of trying to organize a state coup during
parliamentary elections in 2005 and the murder of opposition co-leader Iurie
Rosca.
Besides, he was charged with arms contraband (two pistols presented to Pasat
by foreign defense ministers) and abuse of office (he did not transfer the
pistols to the state).
Pasat described the charges as a reprisal for his cooperation with the
opposition in the parliament elections of 2005. That was the opposition to the
Party of Communists.
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