The Investigative Committee of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic held an extended meeting of the board. The results of the department’s activities in 2023 were summed up and discussed. The head Vyacheslav Brynzar made a report. The President listened to the information.
The priorities of the PMR Investigative Committee: high-quality and prompt investigation of criminal cases, respect for the constitutional rights of citizens at all stages of pre-trial proceedings, combating corruption. The number of criminal cases handled by investigators during the reporting period decreased by 5% compared to 2022. This is a consequence of the reduction in crime, according to the speaker. 2709 crimes were registered in 2023, which is 12.6%, or 389 facts, less than the previous year. Investigators of the Investigative Committee investigated 3,942 criminal cases in 2023. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of cases of fraud, drug smuggling, rape, and violations of tax laws. There have been fewer serious crimes against life and health. The number of cases of corruption has decreased (102 in 2022, 41 in 2023). The speaker specifically focused on the category of crimes committed using Internet resources, noting their specificity and citing specific examples from Pridnestrovian practice. He spoke about the peculiarities of investigating crimes related to drug trafficking. Such an area as domestic violence was singled out.
Vyacheslav Brynzar emphasized that the consideration of materials from pre-investigation checks increases the burden on investigators. 3704 of them were carried out in 2023 (3135 in 2022). The ongoing problem of personnel shortages was discussed. Understaffing of departments is 26%. There are 32 vacant positions. 17 specialists were hired, 19 were fired in the reporting year. The overwhelming majority of employees who left the Investigative Committee are employed in related structures – the court, the advocacy, and law enforcement agencies. A reduction in the number of investigators automatically increases the workload on workers: the average in 2023 was 52 criminal cases and 49 pre-investigation checks. Almost half of the current staff of the PMR Investigative Committee are young specialists. The high quality of education provided by the Tiraspol Law Institute was noted, but investigators beginners lack practical experience, the speaker emphasized.
The length of the investigation remains the problematic aspect, Vyacheslav Brynzar noted. The situation is better than in 2022, but still unfavorable: 68% of cases were considered for more than two months.
After discussing the achievements and problematic aspects identified in the activities of the Investigative Committee of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, the President made a number of recommendations aimed at improving it. The work of the Investigative Committee based on the results of 2023 was recognized by the President as satisfactory.
