PM Ponta’s mother, Cornelia Naum came for hearings at the National Anti-corruption Directorate in Ploiesti on Thursday morning in the file in which his son-in-law is arrested. The hearings lasted for an hour, her lawyer mentioning that the premier’s mother is a witness in this case and this quality won’t be changed.
“She has a part-time employment contract with the company owned by her daughter, but she has no connection with the other companies involved in the alleged criminal action. She took part in some discussions at a certain point between certain persons who have a certain quality in this file. She was questioned about that,” the lawyer Bogdan Vlad said.
As for Cornelia Naum, asked by the journalists if she was working as adviser in one of the companies owned by her son-in-law, Iulia Hertanu, she answered: “I am a mother-in-law, not adviser.”
Before the hearings where she came alone, the premier’s mother did not want to answer any questions: “I am giving statements to the DNA prosecutors, not to you.”
At the instance of the media regarding Hertanu’s businesses, Cornelia Naum said: “Don’t you ask me these kind of questions. I watch you not to fall.”
In retort pm Victor Ponta posted a short message on Twitter. “My mother heard at DNA/free show for Realitatea TV (as however they don’t have money to pay their taxes)”.
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.