DNA requests prosecution against Titus Corlatean for preventing voting in Diaspora at 2014 presidential elections

The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has announced Monday morning in a statement that the DNA chief prosecutor has asked the Prosecutor General to notify the Senate on the beginning of Titus Corlatean’s prosecution in the file of Diaspora vote in 2014. DNA accuses Corlatean (now senator, at that time Foreign Minister in Victor Ponta government) of abuse of office and of preventing the exertion of electoral rights, hotnews.ro reports.

The DNA prosecutors accuse Titus Corlatean of “organizing the polling stations abroad in a discretionary way, thus obtaining an undue advantage” for Victor Ponta, the PSD candidate at the time.

DNA points to the fact that Titus Corlatean, as foreign minister, ignored the proposals of some ambassadors or consuls to organize the polling stations in localities which could guarantee the right to vote to a larger number of people. DNA shows that the former Foreign Minister had instead, with no documentation or justification, decided to set up polling stations in localities that were not proposed by Romania’s diplomatic missions and by consular offices, localities with smaller Romanian communities.

“I wasn’t informed by any institution. I am surprised to find out from the media about the request. No comment,” said PSD Senator Titus Corlatean. He added he hasn’t been to the Senate, so he was not informed by this forum either.

The first round of presidential elections in 2014 has led to a huge scandal triggered by the small number of polling stations abroad, tens of thousands of Romanians claiming they were unable to exert their constitutional right to vote. Titus Corlatean refused to increase the number of polling stations for the runoff, consequently resigned from the Foreign Ministry and was replaced by Teodor Melescanu.

Huge demonstrations took place against the Ponta government in all major cities in the country, but also abroad. However, the government refused to adjust the voting conditions for the runoff. Elections were won eventually by Klaus Iohannis, the opposition candidate, who defeated Victor Ponta.

Kovesi: Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions have been heard

DNA chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi said that in file in which the DNA has demanded the prosecution of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Titus Corlatean several people were heard, including ambassadors, heads of diplomatic missions and officials of the Foreign Ministry.

“We’ve notified the Prosecutor’s Office upon the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ – Supreme Court) to get the notification from the Romanian Senate, given that at the time the offense he was minister senator. Our suspicions aim the offense of abuse of office and of preventing the exerting of electoral rights. He benefits from presumption of innocence. 19 volumes have been submitted, containing testimonies from the officials involved in these activities, documents collected from various institutions. Ambassadors were heard, heads of diplomatic missions and officials from the ministry,” said chief prosecutor DNA Laura Codruţa Kovesi at CSM headquarters.

PSD leader – I wasn’t expecting this

PSD leader Liviu Dragnea said on Monday, after the DNA announcement, that he wasn’t expecting this, ziare.com reports.

“I admit I wasn’t expecting this, we’ll see what is to be done. I don’t understand how they’ve reached Titus, yet I don’t have all the information,” Liviu Dragnea said.

Asked if Victor Ponta might be targeted by the investigation, Dragnea said he doesn’t see why, as Ponta was a candidate. Asked if he might be targeted by the investigation, he replied: “No”.