Behind the Scenes of a Movie-Like Prisoner Exchange: Who is the Woman Handed Over to Russia Along with Traitor Bălan?
Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Alexandru Musteață, head of Moldova's Intelligence and Security Service (SIS), clarified that Alexandru Bălan, convicted of espionage, was not extradited but voluntarily went to Belarus as part of a prisoner exchange.
- Bălan's transfer facilitated the release of two Moldovan officers captured by Russia, with Bălan having acknowledged his guilt to secure the exchange.
- Despite his transfer, Bălan still faces legal proceedings in Romania for espionage, and his case in Moldova is being assessed for damages from leaked information.
In a significant revelation, Alexandru Musteață, the head of Moldova's Intelligence and Security Service (SIS), has detailed the complex circumstances surrounding the transfer of Alexandru Bălan, a former deputy director of the SIS convicted of treason. Musteață emphasized that Bălan, labeled a 'traitor,' was not extradited by Moldova but instead chose to go to Belarus voluntarily as part of an international prisoner exchange that secured the freedom of two Moldovan officers held by Russian forces.
Bălan era informat că belarușii îl cer, a dat acordul și s-a dus singur
Speaking on Pro TV Chișinău's program "În profunzime," Musteață clarified that Bălan was fully aware of Belarus's request for him and gave his explicit consent to the transfer. "He went of his own free will... He acknowledged the charges against him to be able to go," Musteață stated, explaining that Bălan admitted to the incriminating facts in his criminal case and negotiated a plea agreement approved by the court. This agreement, which included a prison sentence, paved the way for his subsequent transfer to Belarus.
Și-a recunoscut faptele ca să poată merge.
The SIS chief stressed that Bălan has not escaped legal consequences. His espionage case in Romania remains active and is currently in the preliminary chamber stage at the Court of Appeal, meaning a trial and verdict are still pending. Furthermore, the SIS is actively evaluating the extent of damages caused by the leak of classified information during Bălan's tenure.
El a recunoscut faptele incriminate în dosarul penal. și-a recunoscut învinuirile înaintate de procuror pe divulgarea informației secrete, a negociat cu procurorul un acord de recunoaștere vinovății, care s-a prezentat în instanță și instanța l-a aprobat, acordând anumit termen de sentință în închisoare. Ulterior a fost extrădat. Și grațierea s-a oferit anume că el să meargă în Belarus
Musteață reiterated that Bălan, who had served in the SIS since the early 2000s and rose to deputy director, had not held any official position or had access to secret information since 2019. He was suspended as an officer and, following investigations, his status evolved. The narrative presented from Chisinau frames Bălan's departure not as an escape, but as a calculated move within a high-stakes international negotiation, underscoring Moldova's commitment to securing the release of its captured personnel while upholding legal accountability.
Alexandru Bălan este un trădător care, din 2019, nu mai ocupă nicio funcție în cadrul Serviciului și nu mai are acces la informații secrete din cadrul SIS.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Adevărul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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