Information has been circulating that the Security and Intelligence Service has been evacuating ammunition and weapons from the arsenal of private gun shops and shooting ranges to a specialised warehouse.

This information is not true and the apparent purpose of its dissemination is to create and maintain a state of panic in society.

We urge citizens to remain calm, and respectfully advise to ignore all the anonymous, unverified sources of information, as well as to get informed from official sources, especially on national security matters.

...

The Director of the Security and Intelligence Service issued an Order on February 26 to block two online sources promoting information that incites hatred and war during the state of emergency. Hence, the websites www.sputnik.md and www.gagauznews.md are to be shut down.

The Order containing binding instructions has been sent to the National Registrar of the top level domain "md" and to providers of electronic communications networks and/or services to block immediately, according to law, the access of the users from the Republic of Moldova to the mentioned sources.

...

In the process of data collection on online sources inciting hatred, war and/or violence, the Security and Intelligence Service detected the website www.vkurse.md as it was disseminating information of foreign origin on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, justifying military aggression against the legally elected power in Ukraine.

As a result, by SIS Director’s Order No.12 of 25 February 2022, pursuant to paragraphs 26-28 of the Directive No. 1 of the Commission for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Moldova, it was requested to block the mentioned website as a source promoting information that incites hatred and war, during the state of emergency, approved by Parliament's Resolution No. 41/2002.

...

In the context of the regional security situation, there has been an exponential increase in the volume of fake news disseminated concertedly on all information platforms.

Thus, according to the provisions of points 26 - 28 of the Directive No. 1 of 24.02.2022 of the Commission for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Moldova, the SIS requests the administrators of online content sources to refrain from publishing/distributing false information, as well as messages inciting hatred, mass disorder or war.

We request all administrators of online content sources to immediately remove false articles/information on the escalation of the situation in Ukraine, as well as messages inciting hatred, mass unrest or war, published from 23 to 24 February 2022.

The SIS reiterates its call to the general public to get informed from official sources and those actively verifying published information, as well as to refrain from sharing questionable information, containing hate speech and/or violence.

...

În contextul situației de securitate regională create, Serviciul de Informații și Securitate anunță stabilirea nivelului moderat (cod galben) de alertă teroristă, aprobat prin ordinul directorului Serviciului de Informații și Securitate al Republicii Moldova Nr. 11 din 24 februarie 2022.

În cazul instituirii nivelului moderat de alertă teroristă (cod galben), autoritățile cu competențe în domeniul prevenirii și combaterii terorismului, în limitele atribuțiilor, întreprind acțiunile prevăzute la nivelul scăzut, suplimentar înfăptuind următoarele măsuri:

1) concentrarea eforturile în vederea descurajării, depistării și prevenirii situațiilor ce pot provoca un pericol terorist;

2) amplificarea măsurile de control și asigurarea ordinii publice la punctele de trecere a frontierei de stat, aeroporturi, gări feroviare și auto, obiective de aglomerare în masă a populației;

3) verificarea stării și nivelului de asigurare a protecției fizice și sporirea măsurile de pază la obiectivele de infrastructură critică din gestiune, în vederea depistării și prevenirii unor eventuale situații de criză teroristă;

4) intensificarea măsurile de verificare și asigurare a ordinii publice în locurile de aglomerare a populației, în cadrul manifestărilor în masă, al evenimentelor culturale, sportive, în vederea depistării eventualelor indici și situații de risc (dispozitive explozive, persoane cu comportament suspect sau violent etc.);

5) desfășurarea de instruiri suplimentare pentru angajați, care sunt antrenați în măsuri de ocrotire a normelor de drept și pentru personalul din cadrul obiectivelor care pot deveni ținte pentru atacuri teroriste;

6) verificarea nivelului de pregătire a forțelor și mijloacelor care pot fi antrenate în procedeele de reacționare în situații de criză teroristă și lichidarea consecințelor acestora.

Instituția îndeamnă societatea la calm, să se informeze din surse oficiale, să evite informațiile neverificate și distribuirea acestora, precum și la respectarea indicațiilor care urmează să parvină din partea Comisiei pentru Situații Excepționale.

 ...

Due to the regional security situation developments, the Security and Intelligence Service announces the rise of the terrorist alert level to moderate (yellow code), approved by the Order of the SIS Director No. 11 of 24 February 2022.

In case of the moderate level of terrorist alert (yellow code), the competent authorities in the field of preventing and countering terrorism, within the limits of their attributions, undertake the actions required for the low level (blue) and additionally carry out the following measures:

1) concentrating efforts to deter, detect and prevent situations that may cause a terrorist threat;

2) increasing control measures and ensuring public order at the border crossing points, airports, railway and car stations, and crowded places;

3) checking the state and level of physical protection and increasing security measures at critical infrastructure objects, in order to detect and prevent possible terrorist crises;

4) intensifying verification measures and ensure public order in places where the population gathers during mass events, cultural and sporting events, in order to detect possible indices and risk situations (explosive devices, people with suspicious or violent behavior, etc.);

5) additional training for employees involved in law enforcement measures and for the staff of facilities that may become targets for terrorist attacks;

6) checking the training level of forces and means that may be involved in response procedures during terrorist crisis situations or dealing with their consequences.

The SIS urges the public to remain calm, get informed from official sources, avoid unverified information and its sharing, and comply with the instructions that will be supplied by the Commission for Emergency Situations.

...

Today, February 15, Alexandr Esaulenco, the SIS Director, together with other officials, honored the fallen of the Afghanistan War in a commemoration ceremony.

The event took place at the memorial complex "Feciorilor Patriei – Sfântă Amintire", in the presence of war veterans, their family members, officials and servicemen from the command staff.

The participants laid wreaths and held a moment of silence in memory of the more than 300 countrymen fallen in the Afghanistan military operations.

At the same time, in the context of marking the 33rd anniversary of the withdrawal of the limited contingent of armed troops from Afghanistan, the Security and Intelligence Service organized meetings with war participants as a sign of gratitude and to honor the memory of the heroes. These activities help the SIS to raise awareness of the young officers about valuable people, true examples of honor and military dignity, who will be a source of respect throughout their careers in national security.

Petru Splavnic, retired colonel and operational intelligence officer, holder of the “Credință Patriei” Order (Allegiance to the Motherland) and “Pentru vitejie” medal (For Bravery), offered a living history lesson at the National Institute of Intelligence and Security "Bogdan, Întemeietorul Moldovei".

He told the young officers about the solidarity born in war, about the sacrifice of comrades in arms and the importance of understanding how valuable the peace is, especially in the context of regional tensions. "The war in Afghanistan is part of the national collective memory and the heroism of the men must not be forgotten. The goal of intelligence services has always been to prevent risks and reduce the negative impact on national security. The destiny of a country is written by those who put their personal sacrifice at the service of the country and its citizens ", said Petru Splavnic.

The students expressed gratitude and respect to veterans, heroes of state security bodies and all those who remain active and show true examples of dignity and loyalty to the country and national values.

...

The criminal case on smuggling of 179 boxes of “Ashima” cigarettes in Cahul, involving Border Police employees, was initiated with the documentation process carried out by the Security and Intelligence Service jointly with the Internal Protection and Anti-Corruption Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS). Throughout the investigation, the General Inspectorate of the Border Police was open for cooperation.

According to the conclusions of experts, the batch is worth approximately 1.6 million lei on the Moldovan market, and approximately 4.3 million lei on the European market (which was the initial destination of the criminal group). Thus, their illegal income would be about 2.7 million lei.

Numerous criminal proceedings were carried out regarding this case: more than 20 searches, more than 20 communication interceptions (including wiretapping), about 50 hearings of suspects and accused persons - in order to guarantee respect for their rights and to gather enough evidence for sending the case to court.

The criminal case, sent to court by the PCCOCS prosecutors, concerns 14 defendants, aged between 30 and 50 years. They are from Cahul and Chișinău, and three of them are border police officers: a former interim chief of the Border Police Sector “Cahul”, a former head of the “SOUTH” Regional Directorate, and a non-commissioned officer. According to the criminal law, the smuggling crime is punished with 4 to 10 years of imprisonment.

We remind that any person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a final court ruling.

...

The vaccination rate among intelligence officers and eligible persons assisted by the SIS Medical Department is constantly increasing.

The intelligence officers think that vaccination is the only safe and effective solution for keeping the national epidemiological situation under control. Moreover, booster shots will increase the level of protection against new variants and severe forms of this disease.

The vaccination campaign against COVID-19 remains a priority for the Security and Intelligence Service. Therefore, it continues to promote the vaccination process among all the employees, except those who are contraindicated to receive vaccines.

In the next two weeks, the vaccination program carried out by the SIS Medical Department will be joined by family members of the intelligence officers and other persons who are registered at this medical institution.

The SIS encourages citizens of the Republic of Moldova to get involved and actively support the vaccination campaign, and to receive their booster shots during the period recommended by the doctors.

...

The Security and Intelligence Service as the competent body responsible for developing and promoting state policy and exercising control over all types of electronic signatures, together with the Information Technology and Cyber Security Service (STISC), announces that the validity period of the public key certificate for users of the electronic signature extends from two to five years. Today, at a press conference, the authorities emphasized the reasoning and benefits of the action, as well as the importance of the legislative amendments.

In this context, representatives of the responsible authorities assured that this action helps to develop the service, offers comfort to users and facilitates the use of quality electronic public services online. Therefore, the Republic of Moldova lines up to the recommendations and standards of European countries. This action also simplifies the access to electronic services and helps to overcome the barriers in citizen-state interaction. It aims to reduce the costs of the electronic signature for end users but also to increase the widespread use of electronic services in the Republic of Moldova. The cost for purchasing a public key for the period of up to five years will be 650 lei. Those who have an electronic signature valid for up to two years will be able to use them until they expire.

Vasile Golubei, an SIS officer, stated that the institution has authorized the device put into operation today and it is safe to use. At the same time, the SIS is in the process of completing a new draft law that will transpose the European Union Regulation 910/2014 and will offer the possibility of providing new useful services to citizens. Moreover, the SIS initiated the amendment of the legal framework that extended the validity term of electronic signatures to 5 years. The institution actively involves in the process of digital transformation of the country.

So far, about 200 thousand users (natural and legal persons from various fields of activity) were assisted in getting their electronic signatures. Moreover, in the context of the new technology and digital tendencies, the state policy aims to upgrade and simplify the access to public services.

...

"First aid in various crisis situations" – a new training course for special task forces from law enforcement bodies. The event took place on December 9 and was organized by the SIS Anti-Terrorism Center in cooperation with the Shooting Academy of the Republic of Moldova “Sniping Club”.

National and international experts and instructors demonstrated and, together with the participants, put into practice the knowledge and experience acquired over time. Instructors presented high-quality and updated information from the paramedical field, psychology, crisis management etc.

The aim of the course was to develop the skills and raise the level of training of the employees of the authorities responsible for public order and national security. The organizers also aimed to boost and facilitate the experience sharing between special task forces, strengthen the partnership, and improve the use of national and international practices in the field.

...

Between November 15-26, the SIS Anti-Terrorism Center organized a training course for the dispatchers of the Single National Service for Emergency Calls 112 (SNUPAU). It aims to facilitate and improve the activity of the SNUPAU 112 employees and to develop constructive behaviour patterns.

For two weeks, officers covered the following topics: identification of potential security risks, mechanisms for alerting emergency services and institutions responsible for terrorism data collection and processing, as well as development of optimal response and mental resilience capabilities in exceptional circumstances.

During the training process, the participants received the Interview Guide for situations related to terrorism, created for the dispatchers of the 112 Service – an institution that is an important link in the field of national security, with the mission of protecting the life and health of the population on the entire territory of the Republic of Moldova.

The training is part of a range of actions of the Security and Intelligence Service aimed at developing and improving reaction and response procedures, as well as operating standards at the inter-institutional level in situations of terrorism crisis.

...

Following several requests from media representatives, the Security and Intelligence Service comes with the following details:

On January 28, 2020, the institution sent the intelligence briefing No. 5/171 concerning Dorel Musteață and Nina Cernat to the General Prosecutor's Office.

Taking into account the request from October of the Parliamentary Legal Commission for immunities and appointments, as well as the lack of investigations carried out by the General Prosecutor's Office regarding the information provided in January 2020, the SIS carried out an additional check concerning the judge Dorel Musteață, in the limits of its legal competences.

As a result, the SIS determined that the primary information submitted to the Prosecutor's Office has no probative value, as there is no evidence of illicit enrichment and risk factors regarding the mentioned judge. The data on additional check was also submitted to the profile Parliamentary Commission.

At the same time, we mention that the management of the SIS initiated a control of the specialized subdivision in order to establish the cause that led to differences between the two briefings, as well as the circumstances in which the SIS intelligence briefing No. 5/171 of 28 January 2020 was disseminated to third parties.

...

Six men were detained in a SIS-Customs-PCCOCS operation, as a result of 20 searches for several illicit activities, including smuggling with 600,000 cigarettes and 4,000 liters of alcohol, which they intended to sell in Romania.

The activity of the members of the criminal group was documented for 3 months by the SIS and Customs officers, in coordination with the PCCOCS prosecutors, starting from September 2021. According to the case materials, the six persons transported the cigarettes to special locations, avoiding border crossings where the checks are more rigorous, due to the technical equipment. At the same time, the criminal proceedings revealed not only the acts of smuggling but also the storage locations for the products.

Considering the gathered evidence and results of searches at their homes, cars, garages and stalls at the “Central Market” in Chișinău, all the six men were placed in preventive detention for 30 days, at the request of the PCCOCS prosecutors.

During the investigations, the SIS-Customs-PCCOCS joint team focused its efforts on dismantling the entire criminal scheme. Therefore, the team found the locations of origin of the smuggled goods and the organizers of the illegal activity. Also, it seized two cars used for smuggling and three luxury cars.

The investigation continues in order to fully uncover all the circumstances of the case.

...

The Security and Intelligence Service jointly with the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases dismantled a criminal group specialized in illicit trafficking in consumer goods from Ukraine, via Transnistria, with the involvement of employees of national law enforcement bodies.

During special investigation measures carried out on November 9, two minibuses were detained in flagrante delicto, while carrying smuggled goods worth over 1,5 million lei.

At the same time, with the support of the Internal Protection and Anti-Corruption Service (SPIA) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), 3 members of the criminal group were detained, two of them being MIA employees. The fourth member of the group, also an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, escaped to Transnistria. Immediately after their arrest, the responsible institutions conducted 12 searches at several addresses in the country.

The authorities will file charges against other persons as well, including MIA employees, regarding participation in the criminal group.

The illegal activity of the group was documented for 9 months. During this period of time, the law enforcement officers determined its modus operandi, travel routes, as well as locations of supply, storage and sale of the smuggled goods.

According to the materials of the criminal case, the goods were purchased from the “Seventh-Kilometer” market from Odessa, then introduced into the country through the Transnistrian region and stored in the Security Zone. Consequently, the goods were taken by the other members of the criminal group, responsible for their transportation to the territory controlled by the constitutional authorities of the Republic of Moldova, circumventing internal checkpoints.

We remind you that during the same investigation, another smuggling chain was dismantled, when officers seized consumer goods worth about 1 million lei and three vehicles used for illegal transportation.

Investigations into this case continue in order to establish the entire criminal area and to identify all the individuals involved. If the guilt of the detained persons is proven in court, they risk a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

...

In accordance with the Decision no.1 of 22.10.2021 of the Commission for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Moldova, the Security and Intelligence Service identified the website geopolitika.ro that promoted fake news.

One of the published articles promoted false information about the reasons of the energetic crisis of the Republic of Moldova in the natural gas sector: “New authority from Chișinău decided to risk that Moldovans freeze over winter only to argue with Russia”/ “Big minds of the USA together with other from Ukraine found the formula to bankrupt Gazprom: to stop the gas supplies from Russia to Moldova”.

In this context, the SIS requests the online portals that shared/ published the mentioned information to delete it.

We remind you that reducing the impact of fake news phenomenon is a joint effort. Therefore, if you find fake news or social network profiles used for spreading misinformation, the SIS encourages you to inform the institution at the following email address: press@sis.md.

...

The analysis of the information space since the establishment of the state of emergency indicates a continuous and growing process of spreading fake news and manipulative comments/ statements on the natural gas topic, which in turn generate the following risks to national security:

1. panic in the society;

2. interethnic hatred;

3. compromises national efforts to remedy the situation in the energy sector.

Examples of recent fake news:

- mass disconnections from electricity networks of household consumers from the Republic of Moldova;

- stopping the supply of electricity by the Cuciurgan Power Plant;

- temporary disconnection of the Eternal Fire at the “Eternity” Memorial Complex - a “demonstrative action of the Moldovan authorities”;

- spreading the messages of national/ international experts without expertise in the field, who suggest false hypotheses about the reasons for the natural gas crisis;

- false assumptions about “blackmail used by the Republic of Moldova” in the negotiation of contracts for natural gas supply;

- references to non-existent contracts/ agreements by citing anonymous sources;

- supporting false conspiracy theories.

Identified manipulation techniques used to promote fake articles/ manipulative comments include the following:

selective presentation of data;

cognitive distortions such as “catastrophizing”;

citing a single unofficial or anonymous source of information;

interpreting/ commenting on the facts, highlighting the opinions of certain “experts” (without expertise in the field);

emotional manipulation via sensational headlines that do not correspond to the content and reality.

In this context, in order to ensure the consumption of truthful information but also to avoid participating in the dissemination of fake news, the SIS urges you to go through the following steps before making the decision to like or share a piece of news/ comment:

- Do your research and assess the news by correlating it with official sources. At the same time, if the article contains declarations or press releases of the officials or national/ international organizations or companies, compare the content of the message in the article with the original one (check official websites or official accounts on the social networks);

- Compare the content of the article with the primary source;

- Avoid sharing news considering only the headlines without an assessment of the content (one of the methods used by certain websites spreading fake news is posting sensational “clickbait headlines” that manipulate readers’ curiosity). Thus, some anonymous sources spreading fake news determine readers to share their news via social networks. Usually, their goal is to get more pageviews;

- Assess the source of information (pay attention to the author of the article, the web address, other articles posted on that website, editorial policy);

- Pay attention to the content of the news (compliance with ethical rules in the article, proper grammar, authenticity of the photo, video, audio content);

- Pay attention to the release date of the news (sharing news about past reality is irrelevant in the present);

- If you find articles shared via social networks, assess the source that disseminates them (some fake news are shared via fake accounts on social networks);

- If you find comments/ statements of experts, evaluate their background and level of expertise.

We encourage you to consider the infographic shared by the Security and Intelligence Service, in order to learn how to distinguish fake news.

In the circumstances of the state of emergency approved by the Parliament Decision No. 148/2021, the SIS recommends to check information primarily at the following official sources:

Institution/ organisation

Official website

Parliament of the Republic of Moldova

https://www.parlament.md

Presidency of the Republic of Moldova

https://presedinte.md

Government of the Republic of Moldova

https://gov.md

Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development

https://midr.gov.md

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration

https://mfa.gov.md

General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations

https://www.dse.md

JSC "Energocom"

http://energocom.md

LLC "Moldovatransgaz"

https://www.moldovatransgaz.md

JSC "Moldovagaz"

https://www.moldovagaz.md

JSC "Termoelectrica"

https://www.termoelectrica.md

LLC "Chișinău-Gaz"

https://www.chisinaugaz.md

SOE "Moldelectrica"

https://www.moldelectrica.md

FIE "Premier Energy" LLC

https://premierenergy.md

FIE "Premier Energy Distribution" JSC

https://premierenergydistribution.md

The SIS relies on your responsible attitude, therefore strengthening efforts in this regard is crucial.

...

In accordance with the Decision no.1 of 22.10.2021 of the Commission for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Moldova, the Security and Intelligence Service requests to block the websites politnavigator.net, politnavigator.news and aparatorul.md that deliberately published fake news.

Some of the fake news spread by the mentioned online portals:

Electricity disconnection of entire districts.

Stopping the supply of electricity by the Cuciurgan Power Plant.

The temporary disconnection of the Eternal Fire at the "Eternitate" Memorial Complex reflected as “a response of the Moldovan authorities to Gazprom's threat to stop the delivery of natural gas”.

False assumptions about the reasons of the energetic crisis of the Republic of Moldova in the natural gas sector: “New authority from Chișinău decided to risk that Moldovans freeze over winter only to argue with Russia”/ “Big minds of the USA together with other from Ukraine found the formula to bankrupt Gazprom: to stop the gas supplies from Russia to Moldova”.

The erroneous information presented by the three websites is denied by the following facts:

JSC “Premier Energy Distribution”, operator of the national electricity distribution system in the Republic of Moldova, published on its official website the schedule of activities for maintenance, renovation, and modernization of electricity networks, including the addresses and time frames. Thus, all the works are planned.

A comparative analysis with previous months showed that there is no substantial increase in the number of addresses for which works have been scheduled.

The disconnections are not systemic, hence the statements about disconnection of entire districts from electricity networks are false.

During the state of emergency, the Cuciurgan Power Plant did not stop the supply of electricity.

“The temporary disconnection of the injection system from the Eternal Fire at the “Eternitate” Memorial Complex as a demonstrative action of the Moldovan authorities” is a false hypothesis with potential to instigate interethnic hatred.

In an official press release published on October 22, the Ministry of Defense mentioned that the supply of natural gas to the Eternal Fire at the “Eternitate” Memorial Complex was temporarily disconnected, until the gas injection system was fixed. The Fire was re-ignited on October 23.

The fake news article from the website aparatorul.md includes false assumptions about the reasons of the energetic crisis of the Republic of Moldova in the natural gas sector.

In this context, the SIS requests the online portals that shared/ published the mentioned information to delete it.

Reducing the impact of fake news phenomenon is a joint effort. Therefore, if you find fake news or social network profiles used for spreading misinformation, the SIS encourages you to inform the institution at the following email address: press@sis.md.

...

Officers of the Security and Intelligence Service documented the activity of two persons who, illegally, traded online special technical devices for clandestine collection of information.

Therefore, the Security and Intelligence Service jointly with the Botanica Sector Prosecutor's Office and Botanica Police Inspectorate of the General Police Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, conducted a series of searches at the homes of the persons named in the case. Consequently, officers seized 40 devices and accessories for clandestine collection of information, such as: photo/ audio/ video recorders, GPS tracking systems for pinpointing the location of vehicles, and other gadgets for restricted civilian use.

The production and distribution of such devices generate a series of vulnerabilities to national security as a result of possible unauthorized access to information related to the activity of law enforcement bodies and significant breach of human rights, especially the right to private and family life, as well as freedom of secrecy of correspondence.

We remind you that, according to art. 3 lett. a), b) of the Government Decision No. 100 of 09.02.2009, import, export, design, production and marketing of special technical devices can be carried out exclusively by two categories of legal entities, namely the authorities empowered by law to carry out special investigation activity, as well as Moldova-based legal entities that hold an activity licence.

If the persons named in the case are proven guilty, they risk a fine of 650 to 850 conventional units, unpaid community service from 200 to 240 hours, or imprisonment for up to 3 years, in all cases with (or without) forfeiture of the right to exercise certain official duties or to engage in particular activity for a period of 1 to 3 years.

The Security and Intelligence Service warns that production, marketing or purchasing for commercial purposes of special technical devices for clandestine collection of information, by unauthorized persons, can lead to misdemeanor or criminal liability.

...

Six more persons were detained in the case on smuggling 179 boxes of "Ashima" cigarettes in Cahul, including Border Police employees.

The Security and Intelligence Service jointly with the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) carried out searches in relation to the case of smuggling scheme with 179 boxes of “Ashima” cigarettes, uncovered in July this year.

The searches were conducted at the homes of the persons named in the case, in Cahul and Chișinau. Following the documentation process, the SIS jointly with the Internal Protection and Anti-Corruption Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs detained, today, three persons directly involved in the smuggling scheme, while the other three are employees of the General Inspectorate of Border Police. One of the detained employees is a former interim head of the Cahul Border Police sector and another is a former head of the “South” Regional Directorate.

Currently, the case concerns 14 people with the status of accused and suspect. Investigations continue in order to fully uncover the smuggling scheme and to determine all the circumstances of the case.

...

The Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) jointly with the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS) documented a new episode in the case filed against former employees of the Department no. 5 of the General Inspectorate of Police (GPI) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, involving high-ranking employees of law enforcement bodies of the self-proclaimed Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (RMN).

Therefore, former MIA officials with special status allegedly committed a series of illegal actions regarding an ex-leader of the so-called "home affairs department" of the Transnistrian region. They illegally kept him under covert surveillance on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, kidnapped him and transferred to the unrecognized authorities on the left bank of the Nistru river.

In this regard, during July 2018, illegal and unfounded special investigative measures were carried out against a citizen of the Republic of Moldova who, on July 27, 2018, was stopped in traffic by GPI employees near Chișinău municipality and with the participation of unidentified people, from Transnistrian law enforcement bodies, was kidnapped and carried to Tiraspol. As a consequence, the RMN unconstitutional authorities placed the victim of illegal actions in detention.

Therefore, the fundamental rights and interests of the victim were significantly harmed – the right to freedom, right to a fair trial, access to justice, right to private and family life. State institutions abused their powers to achieve their own interests, group interests and material ones. Also, the involved persons allegedly acted in the interests of individuals from subversive groups.

If the guilt of the persons involved will be proven in court, they will face a sentence of 10 to 13 years in prison (Criminal Code, art.164 para.(3) lett. a), art.327 para.(3)

We reiterate our call and encourage persons, who could have been victims of abusive actions of the GPI officials with special status, to inform the Security and Intelligence Service or the PCCOCS.

...

In accordance with the Order No.1 of 22.10.2021 of the Commission for Exceptional Situations of the Republic of Moldova, the Service identified the website censor.net, which on 22.10.2021 published a news item with false content.

Excerpt from the content of the article: "the provision of gas to Moldova is part of the deal, in the results of which the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Moldova must close the case on the kidnapping of the former judge Ceaus".

It should be noted that an analysis of the Moldovan media landscape shows that the impact of this information has been amplified by the fact that the article was distributed by the Komsomolskaya Pravda news agency.

As a result, the Service formally requests that the online resources that distributed/broadcasted the concerned information remove it.

At the same time, in order to reduce the impact of fake news, we urge, in the case of their identification as well as fake accounts used on social networks used in the intensive distribution of disinformation, to forward the information to the Information and Security Service at the e-mail address press@sis.md, as well as reporting the publications and accounts to the administrators of the social network used.

...

Special Task Forces of law enforcement bodies took part in the 11th edition of the “Special Task Forces Open Cup” competition.

The event takes place today, October 22, under the auspices of the Anti-Terrorism Centre of the Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova.

The units of the Security and Intelligence Service, Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Army, State Protection and Guard Service, and National Anticorruption Centre competed in several shooting disciplines, both individually and in teams.

Employees of special task forces test and demonstrate their professional skills and abilities, exchanging experience on shooting methods and techniques under various conditions. During the competition, the participants have the opportunity to increase the degree of interoperability between units and to strengthen the inter-institutional cooperation.

At the end, the teams but also the best marksmen will be awarded with diplomas and cups.

In the epidemiological context, the event is organized in compliance with all the protection measures recommended at the national level.

...

This morning, the Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), the Internal Protection and Anti-Corruption Service (SPIA) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) jointly with the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases detained six former and current employees of the MIA during the criminal investigation of a case related to a fabricated criminal case with multiple counts.

The SIS has documented the fabrication of a criminal case on a sexual offence allegedly committed by a former MIA employee, which led to a criminal investigation.

The suspects, using their special status, allegedly recruited a person to file deliberately a false report and assisted her with special devices in providing false testimonies.

If the defendants are found guilty, they will face from 2 to 7 years of imprisonment with the prohibition of the right to exercise certain official duties for a period of 5 to 10 years.

...

Today, September 10, the Security and Intelligence Service hosted the swearing-in ceremony of the students of the National Institute of Intelligence and Security "Bogdan, Întemeietorul Moldovei" (NIIS). The event took place in the presence of the SIS leadership, the commanding officers and the teaching staff, as well as with the participation of the family members of the young officers.

Traditionally, the ceremony of taking the Oath of Allegiance to Motherland takes place alongside the day marking the establishment of the National Institute of Information and Security, and inauguration of the new academic year.

In his message, Alexand Esaulenco, Director of the SIS, congratulated young officers on taking the Oath of Allegiance to Motherland, noting that this profession requires a lot of effort and sacrifice, while the interests of the country and society shall prevail over the personal ones. "The intelligence officer must have vision, anticipation skill and moral strength. Also, he/she must prove fairness and integrity throughout his /her entire professional career." Mr. Esaulenco urged them to work hard and to gain as much knowledge, skills and experience as possible.

Moreover, the SIS Director congratulated the professors on marking the 19th anniversary of the establishment of the National Institute of Intelligence and Security, expressing his appreciation for the achieved outcomes. He emphasized that their dual vocation for defending national security and educating the young generation of officers represents a crucial element for the success of the educational institution.

Alexandr Esaulenco also reiterated that quality training of the SIS staff is one of the cornerstones of the progress and future of the institution. Also, it is the guarantee of compliance with the principles of the rule of law and democracy in conducting state security missions.

The young officers will take a professional training course at the Institute and will have the opportunity to acquire a set of professional skills. In addition to extensive knowledge, they will also gain the defining qualities of an intelligence officer, such as honesty, dignity, fairness, integrity and team spirit.

...

Honorable officers, non-commissioned officers,

employees and veterans of the Security and Intelligence Service,

The 30th anniversary of the creation of the state security bodies, offers me the opportunity to sincerely congratulate and thank you for your contribution to the protection of democratic values and promotion of national interests of the Republic of Moldova.

In three decades of activity, the SIS has gone through several stages of reorganization and improvement to become an institution that is adapted to the challenges of the new security climate. Each of you has proved responsibility, flexibility, devotion, proactive attitude and has contributed to the positive evolution of the institution.

Honorable combatants and veterans,

On behalf of the entire staff of the Security and Intelligence Service, I want to express gratitude for your personal sacrifice in defending the rule of law and national dignity.

I assure you that even today you are an example for the generations of officers. You are the heroes who proved in difficult times the true meaning of patriotism.

We pay a special tribute to the patriots who mobilized to defend the statehood, sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of Moldova.

Distinguished colleagues,

I want to thank you for your work in defending national interests. Regardless the field of activity, your contribution is undeniable and makes the institution stand out as a credible partner to the intelligence services at regional and international level, as well as a key institution of the national security system.

I express high appreciation for the professionalism and sacrifice you make, for the ethical values and dignity you possess, for your team spirit that ultimately generates institutional success.

I am firmly convinced that you will choose competence, fairness and integrity in the future, so that we remain dynamic and do not weaken the pace of discovering the realities that may affect the state security.

Furthermore, I believe that on this significant day for us – intelligence officers, we have a moral duty to thank our loved ones for their unconditional support and understanding. Our families fully feel the limitations and restrictions imposed by the profession, but at the same time they nurture our sense of patriotism, that is essential to accomplishing the mission of ensuring national security.

I wish you health, prosperity and happiness with your loved ones! Only together we are able to demonstrate unity, courage and strength to guarantee a prosperous future for the Republic of Moldova.

...

The Security and Intelligence Service marks today, September 9, the State Security Workers’ Day and the 30th anniversary of the special service of the Republic of Moldova.

According to the institutional tradition, the event began with the flower-laying ceremony at the monument dedicated to the heroes of state security bodies, attended by the leadership of the Security and Intelligence Service.

Subsequently, a festive meeting took place with the participation of Ms. Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, members of the Cabinet of Ministers and other guests of honour.

The Head of State congratulated intelligence officers and mentioned that SIS has the central role in counteracting both classic and hybrid threats, highlighting corruption as the main risk to national security.

At the same time, the President talked about the need for a complex assessment of the security sector, identification of system vulnerabilities, and the SIS reform for institutional capacities strengthening, in particular regarding officer training and technical equipment, in order to increase the efficiency of the SIS missions.

In his speech, Alexandr Esaulenco, Director of the Security and Intelligence Service, offered a retrospective of the events that contributed to the development of the intelligence service and the way in which the entity carried out its missions considering changes in the strategic environment of the Republic of Moldova.

The SIS Director underlined the accelerated evolution of the regional security situation and the new challenges that the SIS will face. He asked the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova for support in adjustment of the regulatory framework, in order to focus the institution's efforts on emerging risks and provide mechanisms for early response.

Moreover, the SIS Director thanked the intelligence officers for their hard work, daily dedication, dignity, ethical values, and their team spirit that ultimately leads to institutional success. At the same time, he expressed gratitude to veterans, reservists and combatants for the personal sacrifice they made to defend the rule of law and national dignity.

Likewise, special thanks were given to families of the officers, who accept the limitations and restrictions imposed by the profession and unconditionally support their vocation to defend national security.

During the event, several intelligence officers were decorated with state and corporate awards.

...

Today, September 6, the National Institute of Intelligence and Security „Bogdan, Întemeietorul Moldovei” of the SIS in partnership with Moldova State University launched for the first time the master's degree programme "National Security Studies".

About 50 students, graduates with a bachelor's degree, as well as specialists from law enforcement institutions, will take up studies for 2 years in order to develop skills in identification and assessment of risks, threats and vulnerabilities to state security, including critical analysis in the field of streamlining the national security system.

The inauguration event started with a welcome speech from the Director of the Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova, Alexandr Esaulenco. He mentioned that the launch of this Master's Degree Programme on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the creation of national security bodies of the Republic of Moldova is a special moment both for the institution and the country because national security is one of the most important values of a country, while knowledge about the processes in this field and identification of national security risks and vulnerabilities is a priority for the SIS.

The master’s degree programme offers skills for such professions as: security expert, political scientist, political and security analyst, research trainee in political and security sciences, consultant, civil servant, military, member of political and social entities, researcher, advisor, coordinator of programmes etc.

...

The Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova constantly focuses its efforts on strengthening the institutional capacities to prevent and combat the corruption phenomenon that affects national security.

This fact is reflected in the SIS priorities for 2021, approved during the extraordinary meeting of the Board of the Security and Intelligence Service, held on December 30, 2020, but also in other national policy documents, adopted by the central public administration authorities of the Republic of Moldova.

In this regard, the SIS initiated a process for resizing its forces and means, using as a benchmark the practice of other European intelligence services that managed to achieve praiseworthy results in the fight against "grand corruption".

Therefore, today, September 6, the Security and Intelligence Service created within the existing SIS department responsible for defense of the constitutional order a new unit that will be in charge of integrity checking. The reconfiguration of the forces and means of the institution aims to streamline the achievement of its objectives by using the best international practices in the field.

The Security and Intelligence Service of the Republic of Moldova will constantly adjust the intervention mechanisms in order to strengthen the capabilities for detection, prevention and counteraction of the risks to national security and make them be in line with European and international standards.

...

Officers of the Security and Intelligence Service, Center for Combating Trafficking in Persons of the National Investigation Inspectorate, prosecutors of the General Prosecutor's Office and law enforcement bodies of Italy, in cooperation with EUROJUST and EUROPOL, during the current year, carried out a series of special investigation measures and annihilated a criminal group specialized in human trafficking for labor exploitation of women from the Republic of Moldova in Italy.

Members of the group, Moldovan and Italian citizens, using the vulnerability of the victims caused by their precarious social situation, recruited women from various regions of Moldova to work in Italy as “badanti” (migrant caregivers), promising them a salary of €600-700.

Arrived in Italy, the victims were met by the members of the criminal group, accommodated, and then their passports were seized, while they were transported to their workplaces in different localities and exploited through work as "badanti", without being paid the full promised salary. The victims were subjected to physical and mental violence, including threats of physical harm and forced prostitution.

During January-May of this year, the criminal group organized 16 trips between Italy and Moldova, despite travel restrictions in connection with the epidemiological situation in both countries.

The criminal proceedings were carried out using various special investigation measures, including mobile phone interception, online tracking – both GPS and visual, which helped to gather evidence and detain persons suspected of committing the described crimes.

On September 4, 2021, the law enforcement bodies of the Republic of Moldova, jointly with the Italian authorities, simultaneously conducted several searches on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and Italy, and therefore detained eight members of the criminal group.

During the searches, officers found and seized passports of the victims, forged employment contracts (French, German, Polish), fake COVID-19 vaccine certificates, computers and devices used for forgery of contracts and documents, money gained during the criminal activity, means of transport for victim transportation.

If they are found guilty, the detained persons risk a prison sentence of 7 to 15 years, according to the criminal law in force.

The joint Moldovan-Italian operation was also covered in the local Italian press.

...