A former Moldovan border guard has been found guilty and fined for assisting seven Ukrainian men of conscription age in crossing the border outside official checkpoints.
According to the investigation, the 42-year-old ex-border guard met the Ukrainians near Briceni, accommodated them in a hotel in Edineț, and then sent them to Bălți. From there, they planned to travel to the EU via the Romanian border.
The scheme was uncovered when Romanian authorities noticed that these Ukrainian citizens lacked entry stamps for Moldova, prompting an investigation.
The accused admitted guilt. As per the court’s ruling, he is banned for four years from engaging in any activities related to the entry, exit, or transit of foreign citizens through Moldova. He was also fined 45,000 leu (2300 euro) and had his vehicle, which was used to transport the Ukrainians, confiscated.
This winter, Romanian border guards and rescue teams have repeatedly searched for Ukrainian citizens who attempted to cross the border through mountainous areas.
