Premier Victor Ponta’s sister, Alexandra Hertanu was heard for two hours at the National Anti-corruption Directorate’s HQs in Ploiesti in the file in which her husband, Iulian Hertanu has been placed under preventive arrest last week. Asked why she came to DNA, the PM’s sister said: “I had something to take back,” without making any further comments. Later on, she wrote in Facebook post that she went to DNA voluntarily to reclaim some hard disks of the company that she owns, admitting though that she accepted to give a statement as a witness in his husband’s case.
Iulian Hertanu, Ponta’s brother-in-law was arrested in the file related to EU funds embezzlement for sewerage in Comarnic, carried out by SC Grossman Engineering Group, managed by him.
Businessman Vladimir Ciorba was also arrested in this case, while the former Prahova county councilor Mihai Coman was initially arrested and later on became subject to legal restrictions pending trial.
According to sources quoted by the Romanian TV stations, Cornelia Naum, the premier’s mother is also expected to be heard by the prosecutors.
However, PM Ponta denied this information on Thursday, asking journalists: “How do you know that?” (that his mother is going to be heard). After journalist told him it is information they received from sources among prosecutors, Ponta added: “Don’t go by sources anymore.”
As a matter of fact, PM Ponta avoided commenting his sister’s hearing. “Obviously I won’t comment that. I hope you will ever ask me something else, too. I hope, I am an optimist,” Ponta replied.
Later on, Victor Ponta defended his mother and his sister in a Facebook post. “It is a great pain for me to see that my sister and my mother are subjects to media lynching just to politically inflict a blow on me. I love them and I will be next to them all my life, the same way they are standing by me. I wish I and my sisters have the grit and balance that my mother proved during her 72 years of life!,” Ponta wrote on the social media page.