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The Chamber of Deputies has rejected on Wednesday the DNA request for the approval of remand in the case of PSD deputy Madalin Voicu.
158 votes ‘against’ and 103 ‘for’ were cast. The vote in the plenum was made in secret, using balls.
The deputies with the Law Committee of endorsed on Monday the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) request for remand and arrest of MPs Madalin Voicu and Nicolae Paun by a majority of votes.
Ten deputies had voted ‘for’ and 9 had voted ‘against’ the remand, while for Voicu’s arrest 10 deputies had voted ‘for’ and 8 had voted ‘against’.
Also on Wednesday, the deputies endorsed the DNA request for remand in the case of Nicolae Paun, deputy for the Roma Party by 128 votes ‘for’ and 78 ‘against’, while 20 ballots were annulled. The vote concerning the go-ahead for arrest was postponed due to lack of quorum.
The two deputies are accused of money laundering, influence peddling, forgery and fund embezzlement.
The DNA file has 19 volumes, amounting to 4,886 pages.
Social Democrat MPs Mădălin Voicu and Nicolae Păun were summoned to the National Anti-corruption Directorate last Wednesday to be heard as suspects in a file related to the Roma Party. Voicu is an honorary member of the party, while Păun is the president of the Pro Europa Roma Party Association. The investigation was started several months ago, with suspicions related to EU funds embezzlement.
The president of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), Gelu Diaconu and the agency’s vice-president Mihai Gogancea Vătăşoiu were also subpoenaed at the DNA and heard by the prosecutors.
Mădălin Voicu, 63 is a Romanian politician of Roma ethnicity, violinist and conductor by trade. He is the son of famous violinist Ion Voicu.
According to the prosecutors, Nicolae Păun illegally obtained European funds to implement two projects meant to find jobs for Roma community members.
By embezzling EU funds for the two projects, a prejudice of around RON 27 M has been caused, with RON 24 M representing European money.
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