The National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) has asked the Presidency to give the green light for the criminal prosecution of Calin Popescu Tariceanu for corruption charges allegedly committed when he was Prime Minister (2007-2008).
Tariceanu would have received material benefits worth USD 800,000, consisting of consultancy services from the representatives of an Austrian company in Romania.
In exchange, Taricenau would have intervened so that his Cabinet should adopt some resolutions supporting that company.
The anti-corruption prosecutors had sent the Senate a request to criminal prosecute Tariceanu in this file since November 2018, but he was senator at that time and the upper chamber had constantly postponed a decision in this case. After numerous delays, the Senate eventually denied the DNA’s motion in June 2019.
Investigators argue now that nee additional evidence had been found and there are elements if novelty in the inquiry.
According to DNA, the sum of USD 800,000 representing a commission from the payments made by the Romanian state to the Austrian company, would have been used for the benefit of the above-mentioned official, to cover some electoral campaign expenses, being transferred based on some fictitious contracts concluded with several offshore companies.
DNA also mentioned that the current file had been established in 2018 following the junction of three criminal files, with one of them being taken over by the anti-corruption prosecutors upon the request of the Austrian judiciary authorities.
In retort, Calin Popescu Tariceanu has denied the DNA’s charges, saying there were not payments made to the Microsoft while he was PM, and thus, he “received no money”.