VIDEO | Is a criminal case being prepared against Ion Ceban at the NCA and the Prosecutor's Office? Irina Gutnic leaves room for interpretations: "Due to criminal procedural measures, allow me not to answer this question"

The former deputy mayor of the capital, Irina Gutnic, suggests that there is a criminal case with the law enforcement agencies regarding the alleged abuses committed in the administration led by Ion Ceban. Asked whether there is an investigation at the Prosecutor's Office or the National Anticorruption Center (CNA), she avoided giving a direct answer, invoking criminal procedural restrictions. Moreover, Gutnic, who publicly admitted that she personally participated in some of the practices she is now criticizing, claims that she notified the law enforcement agencies when she was obliged to do so, without specifying whether this happened before or after her dismissal.

The statements were made on Tuesday, November 3, during the "Pe Față" show on Moldova 1, where Irina Gutnic was repeatedly asked by journalists whether the serious accusations she is making against her former boss were accompanied by official denunciations.

"Asked if she filed a complaint with the Prosecutor's Office or intends to do so together with Tatiana Aramă-Oboroc, the head of the Mayor's Office, who recently launched similar accusations, Gutnic refused to provide details."

"For the reason of criminal procedural measures. Allow me not to answer this question, but are my public statements sufficient, or does this give free rein to law enforcement agencies to take action themselves," said Irina Gutnic.

When the show's moderator insisted that the former deputy mayor had not confirmed filing a complaint, she again invoked the impossibility of making certain information public.

"I neither denied nor affirmed. So I said that due to criminal procedural measures, I am not entitled to disclose this information," Gutnic replied.

The former deputy mayor suggested that some of her actions could become known later and that the public statements are not the only steps she has taken in relation to the alleged illegalities.

"I return to the evidence. Let time show whether I have respected all my obligations in relation to denouncing or concealing an illicit act. So, in time, all my actions will be confirmed, all in due time. Regarding the evidence, I repeat, the same. The criminal process does not allow the public disclosure of evidence, or it cannot be used later in court. Where I could disclose evidence, I did so. I reported a few days ago about the abuses taking place in the land sector, about the assignment or donation, let's say, of a 3,8 hectare plot of land in the heart of the Capital. We are talking about Petricani Street 88, superficially, which was granted to a company with foreign capital, possibly offshore", stated the former deputy mayor.

Asked whether there is a criminal file at the Prosecutor's Office or the NAC regarding the alleged abuses in the municipal administration, Gutnic avoided confirming or denying this possibility.

"I think these questions should be addressed to law enforcement," the former deputy mayor replied.

Later, asked about responsibility for the acts in which she allegedly participated and about the evidence that could support her accusations, Gutnic stated that she wanted to restore legality within the Chisinau City Hall.

"I wish for the activity of the Chisinau City Hall to be restored to legality and for the truth to be established. For all my statements to be confirmed. In fact, they were not just statements. I tried, where I had the opportunity, to come up with concrete evidence," she said.

Another moment of the show focused on the period in which Gutnic allegedly notified the authorities. Asked whether she began collaborating with law enforcement before being dismissed from her position as deputy mayor or only after the conflict with Ion Ceban broke out, she again avoided a direct answer.

"When I had to fulfill my obligation to notify the law enforcement agencies, then I did it," Gutnic replied, without specifying the moment of notification.

The statements come as Irina Gutnic admitted, on the same show, that she personally participated in some of the practices she now qualifies as illegal. The former deputy mayor admitted that she urged City Hall employees to participate in Ion Ceban's electoral campaign and that she organized teams to distribute electoral materials.

Asked if the employees were forced to participate, Gutnic said she only urged them. She also claimed that the City Hall's promotional activities were used for covert electoral campaigns and that the municipality was spending millions of lei on advertising materials.

Another admission concerned the period when she headed the Apă-Canal Chișinău enterprise. Gutnic confirmed that she accepted the employment of members of the National Alternative Movement (MAN), who she claims did not show up for work, but received salaries. The former director attributed these employments to instructions from Ion Ceban.

"We took care that these expenses fell within the basic expenses. So we did not exceed the basic expenses approved by ANRE. It is a ceiling approved by ANRE and we did not exceed this ceiling, but we publicly acknowledged it. It is a mistake that we executed Ion Ceban's instruction to hire MAN members within the Apă-Canal enterprise, people who did not show up for work, but received a salary," said Irina Gutnic.

Asked about responsibility for these actions, Gutnic stated that she acknowledged her actions and is prepared to answer for them.

The former deputy mayor also stated that she had been reporting alleged irregularities and abuses in the municipal administration since May, but that she had not observed any public reactions from the competent institutions. She also invoked the award of a plot of land on Petricani Street, which she claims could have brought the municipality approximately 15 million euros if an auction had been organized. These allegations have not been independently confirmed.

Irina Gutnic was dismissed from her position as deputy mayor of the capital in May 2026, by a decree signed by Ion Ceban. Subsequently, a public conflict broke out between the two, and Gutnic made several accusations regarding the activity of the municipal administration.

For his part, Ion Ceban previously rejected the accusations of his former collaborator, describing them as unfounded and announcing that he would request the presentation of evidence in court.

For now, neither the existence of a criminal case against Ion Ceban in connection with these accusations, nor the procedural status of Irina Gutnic in a possible investigation have been officially confirmed.