Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1047 of 30 May 2023 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova
Date: 2023-05-30
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, Moldova, economic sanctions, international sanctions, legal person, natural person








LI2023140EN.01000901.xml










30.5.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


LI 140/9








            COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2023/1047
of 30 May 2023
         
amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:







(1)


On 28 April 2023, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 (1).












(2)


The Union remains unwavering in its support for the Republic of Moldova and its resilience, security, stability, economy and energy supply in the face of destabilising activities by external actors.












(3)


In view of the situation in the Republic of Moldova, the Council considers that five persons should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2023/891.












(4)


Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.


Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




Done at Brussels, 30 May 2023.


For the Council


The President

J. ROSWALL
            





(1)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 of 28 April 2023 concerning restrictive measures in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova (OJ L 114, 2.5.2023, p. 15).




ANNEX
The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 is replaced by the following:



‘ANNEX

LIST OF NATURAL AND LEGAL PERSONS, ENTITIES AND BODIES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLES 1 AND 2

A.   Natural persons









 


Name


Identifying information


Statement of reasons


Date of listing




1.


Ilan Mironovich SHOR
a.k.a.
Ilan Mironovici ȘOR


Function: businessman, president of the political party “SHOR” (“ŞOR”)
DOB: 6.3.1987
POB: Tel Aviv, Israel
Gender: male
Nationality: Moldovan, Israeli
Passport no: 0971007884125 (Republic of Moldova)


Ilan Shor is a Moldovan politician (leader of the ȘOR Political Party) and businessman from the Republic of Moldova who is involved in the illegal financing of political parties in the Republic of Moldova and in incitement to violence against the political opposition. The ŞOR Party, which Ilan Shor leads, is involved in the payment and training of persons in order to provoke disorder and unrest during the protests in the Republic of Moldova.
By a decision dated 13 April 2023, the Court of Appeal of Chisinau sentenced Ilan Shor for being guilty of fraud and money laundering in the “Bank Fraud” case to 15 years of imprisonment and the confiscation of assets for a value of EUR 254 million. Funds from this large-scale banking fraud and connections to corrupt oligarchs and Moscow-based entities have been and are still being used, according to authorities of the Republic of Moldova, to artificially create political unrest in the country.
His actions directed towards subverting democracy in the Republic of Moldova include providing illegal funding to support pro-Kremlin political activity in the Republic of Moldova. An example of the use of such funds is the organisation of violent protests and rallies, primarily in the capital Chisinau, with the help of protestors paid by the ŞOR Party, throughout 2022 and 2023.
By directing and planning violent demonstrations and through his serious financial misconduct concerning public funds and the unauthorised export of capital, Ilan Shor is responsible for actions which undermine and threaten the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and the democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova.


30.5.2023




2.


Gheorghe Petru CAVCALIUC


Function: politician, president of the political party “Building Europe at Home Party”
former Deputy Head of the General Police Inspectorate
DOB: 25.10.1982
POB: Micăuți village, Strășeni county, Republic of Moldova
Gender: male
Nationality: Moldovan
ID number 2000033042660 (Republic of Moldova)


Gheorghe Petru Cavcaliuc is the former Deputy Head of the General Police Inspectorate of the Republic of Moldova. He is known for having organised and participated in the violent protests of October 2022, alongside Ilan Shor. He has used his connections within the General Police Inspectorate to recruit former police officers and create a paramilitary group to “protect” the violent demonstrators against the Government of the Republic of Moldova. In this context, he has founded a so-called “shadow government” with the aim of replacing the democratically elected government of the Republic of Moldova.
By directing and planning violent demonstrations, Gheorghe Cavcaliuc is responsible for actions which undermine and threaten the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and the democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova.


30.5.2023




3.


Marina TAUBER


Function: Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova (since March 2019)
DOB: 1.5.1986
POB: Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Gender: female
Nationality: Moldovan


Marina Tauber is the deputy leader of the ŞOR Party and a Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. She was charged in the “Bank Fraud” case and she is subject to investigation in two criminal cases in the Republic of Moldova related to the illegal financing from an organised criminal group and the falsification of the report on the financial management of the ŞOR Party.
On 20 December 2022, prosecutors conducted several searches in connection with the case of the illegal financing of Ilan Shor’s party. The authorities of the Republic of Moldova then identified money which, according to the prosecutors, was to be used for organising anti-government protests and remunerating the participants in those demonstrations.
In 2023, knives, flammable substances and daggers were seized following protests organised by the People’s Movement, which the ŞOR Party is part of. Violence and altercations between the police and demonstrators were registered, where 54 people were detained, including minors. According to the General Police Inspectorate of the Republic of Moldova, Marina Tauber was among the main organisers of the protests of the ŞOR Party and the People’s Movement.
According to the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova, she used special communication instruments in order to give direct instructions to the presidents and vice-presidents of the territorial offices of the ȘOR Party in the country on how to bring people to the demonstrations, organise transport and how to receive the money for the remuneration of the people.
By directing and planning violent demonstrations and through her serious financial misconduct concerning public funds and the unauthorised export of capital, Marina Tauber is responsible for actions which undermine and threaten the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and the democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova.


30.5.2023




4.


Igor Yuryevich CHAIKA
a.ka. Igor Yuryevich CHAYKA
(Игорь Юрьевич ЧАЙКА)


Function: Russian businessman
DOB: 13.12.1988
POB: Irkutsk or Moscow, former USSR (now Russian Federation)
Gender: male
Nationality: Russian


Igor Chaika is a Russian businessman responsible for funnelling money in support of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) projects aimed at destabilising the Republic of Moldova. He played the role of Russian “purse”, channelling money to FSB assets in the Republic of Moldova in order to bring the country under the control of the Kremlin.
Through his serious financial misconduct concerning public funds, Igor Chaika is responsible for supporting actions which undermine and threaten the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Moldova, and the democracy, the rule of law, stability and security in the Republic of Moldova.


30.5.2023




5.


Vladimir Gheorghe PLAHOTNIUC
a.k.a. Vladimir ULINICI
a.k.a. Vladimir PLAKHOTNYUK
a.k.a. Vladislav Vladimir NOVAK
(Владимир (Влад) Георгиевич ПЛАХОТНЮК)


Function: businessman, politician
DOB: 1.1.1966 or 25.12.1965
POB: Pitușca, Călărași, former USSR (now Republic of Moldova)
Gender: male
Nationality: Moldovan, Romanian, Russian
Passport no: 0960304018797 (Republic of Moldova)


Vladimir Plahotniuc is subject to numerous criminal proceedings in the Republic of Moldova related to crimes in connection with the embezzlement of State funds of the Republic of Moldova and their illegal transfer outside the Republic of Moldova. He was accused in the Republic of Moldova in the “Bank Fraud” case, the economic effects of which are still affecting the country. He is also being investigated for bribing the former president of the Republic of Moldova with a bag of cash in exchange for political favours.
Through his serious financial misconduct concerning public funds and the unauthorised export of capital, Vladimir Plahotniuc is responsible for actions and implementing policies which undermine and threaten the democracy, the rule of law, stability or security in the Republic of Moldova through undermining the democratic political process in the Republic of Moldova and serious financial misconduct concerning public funds.


30.5.2023






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