Ionel Arsene, the president of the Neamț County Council, sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison

Ionel Arsene, the president of the Neamț County Council, was today sentenced by the Brașov Court of Appeal to 6 years and 8 months in prison with execution, in a final ruling. The decision was taken by the Brasov magistrates in a trial started five years ago, he was accused of influence peddling.

At the same time, the court ordered the measure of the prohibition of the right to be elected in public authorities or in any other public positions, to hold a position that involves the exercise of state authority and the right to hold a management position, or to exercise attributions management within any party, formation or political alliance in Romania, for a period of 5 years. Also, the court decided to confiscate from Ionel Arsene the sums of 80,000 Euros and 80,000 lei, according to the court decision.

It is a milder punishment than the one ordered by the judges from Bacău who first analyzed this file. They had decided almost a year ago on a higher punishment, over 8 years of imprisonment.

Digi24 sources say that it is possible that Ionel Arsene has left the country before the court’s decision, which would require the initiation of national prosecution procedures, and later at the international level.

Ionel Arsene, the president of the Neamț County Council, was accused of having taken bribery to intervene, in 2013, in the management of the National Integrity Agency to remove a political rival from office.