Hrebenciuc, prosecuted in new influence peddling file

Senator Dan Sova is also prosecuted with the same charges in Hrebenciuc’s file. PM Ponta: Everyone is equal before the law.

PSD MP Viorel Hrebenciuc presented himself on Monday at the National Anticorruption Direction (DNA) to be heard in a new file in which he is prosecuted for allegedly having committed influence peddling. He stated, on his way out of the DNA, that this has nothing to do with “any business”.

“It’s a new file, I have read only the appeal made by the Minister of Justice, the file containing 10 pages and requiring the arrest of Mr. Hrebenciuc for influence peddling, use of… I do not know further details,” said Valeriu Zgonea, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

According to judicial sources quoted by Mediafax, Hrebenciuc would have been informed by DNA staff, having the full support of the former chief of the Security and Protection Service (SPP), Dumitru Iliescu, the latter demanding information regarding the MP’s interception from one of the Direction’s employees. Thus, through Iliescu, Hrebenciuc found out that he was and still is overheard on the basis of a technical surveillance warrant issued at DNA request. Nonetheless, the investigators claim that Iliescu would have assured Hrebenciuc that, through the same DNA employee, he can obtain further information on the progress of the files he is investigated in, but also on other criminal cases he might be interested in, hence the MP would have proposed him to have more contact in order to transmit such data taboo for the publicity. In exchange for these services, Iliescu would have asked  for Hrebenciuc’s support to get his daughter, professing as an architect, hired. The MP would have promised him that his son, Andrei Hrebenciuc, will facilitate her employment within a public institution.

As a consequence to the whole development, the DNA prosecutors have been searching Dumitru Iliescu’s residence on Monday , as well as other addresses in Bucharest, the quest being related to Hrebenciuc’s file.

Sova risks the same sentence as Hrebenciuc

PSD senator and spokesman Dan Sova is equally prosecuted by the DNA for influence peddling in Hrebenciuc’s file. The MP would have asked Sova to help him not to execute a possible penalty.

Thus, Hrebenciuc would have asked Dan Sova to initiate a legislative proposal on amnesty and pardon of certain penalties, in order to prevent a possible MP’s prosecution, but also to prevent PSD MP Miron Mitrea from going to jail, in case he would be sentenced beyond recall. In exchange, Viorel Hrebenciuc would have promised Sova to support him to win PSD Presidency, to the prejudice of other two contenders, Liviu Dragnea and Valeriu Zgonea. “I am focusing on you (…) Anyone except Liviu (Dragnea)”, Hrebenciuc told Sova on the phone, according to the prosecutors’ tapping.

“I have nothing to declare at the moment as I ask for nothing else but to see the documents, I don’t know what is all about,” said Sova, adding that he doesn’t believe he is put under charges.

PM Ponta: “I’m being intercepted since 2010”

Asked if he has any knowledge about having been intercepted by the DNA regarding Hrebenciuc’s files, prime minister Victor Ponta retorted: “But how could I not be?”. “I’m being present in the interceptions since I became PSD president, in 2010,” said Ponta, outlining that he is not aware of any details about the file in which Hrebenciuc and Sova are being prosecuted. PM also underscored that if all those who are talking about the PSD leadership had been arrested, then he should have been also behind bars in 2010, when he was elected as the party’s leader.

Ponta also stated that he is not taking care of these issues and that he has to deal with governing the country and with “managing your day-to-day life”. As for the answer he gave when the journalists have reminded him that both Hrebenciuc and Sova are PSD members, he only said that “everyone is equal before the law”.

Sarbu: Hrebenciuc is no friend of mine

PM Ponta’s father-in-law, Ilie Sarbu, also prosecuted in the forests’ retrocessions file made his first statements on Monday, denying the charges against him and friendship with Hrebenciuc. “I have no emotion, as that’s no way I am involved in this case, the prosecutors will finally know that. How will they know? From what Mr. Hrebenciuc and Mr. Craciunescu (Romsilva general manager) will say, as they are the key in this case. I am cautious in this period of time. You can imagine how cautious I have been lately”, Sarbu told Mediafax. He admitted having talked to Romsilva manager, as he is a friend of him, but added he only told Craciunescu “to pay attention to the retrocessions’ business”. Yet, Sarbu denied having recently spoken to Hrebenciuc, explaining he was not such a good friend of Hrebenciuc as other party colleagues were.