Minister Petre Toba on Thursday announced he has decided to tender his resignation as interior minister to avoid getting the Interior Ministry mired in a public scandal ahead of the general election.
Previously, Prime Minister Ciolos said it would be best for Interior Minister Toba to step down.
“One thing is clear, irrespective of what member of the Movement would be involved: when my signature is affixed to a proposal for appointment or dismissal, the person involved should resign or else I will be asking him or her to leave. (…) Obviously, given the circumstances, it would be best to him and the Government for him to leave,” said Ciolos about the situation of Minister Toba.
Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Thursday evening accepted the resignation tendered by Petre Toba as interior minister.
The National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) prosecutors have requested on Thursday the President of Romania to agree on the start of prosecution against Interior Minister Petre Toba, accused of favouring the offender in the file regarding corruption at the Intelligence and Internal Protection (DIPI) with the Interior Ministry (MAI).
DNA claims that on April 1, as interior minister, Petre Toba refused to start the declassification procedures of part of the documents requested by investigators in the file Gabriel Oprea was indicted for abuse of office in connection with expenditures from the DIPI budget.
According to the source “the lack of transparency in operative funds management led to ridiculous destinations for the operative funds.(…) The evidence in the file show that goods were bought that have nothing to do with the general interest for which the operative funds were earmarked (dollhouses with sander and slide, worth RON 7,000, playing cards, darts, arrows, bows for archery, nets, volley balls worth RON 4,000, running device worth about RON 12,000, electric oven worth about RON 17,000, fountain pens worth RON 13,000, quaestor uniforms, paving tiles, leather books in luxury editions on command, festive dinners for the DIPI inoperative officers.”
In the same file are investigated six former DIPI heads and 18 other employees.