Searches at Bucharest Medicine University

Prosecutors and police officers were conducting several searches at the “Carol Davila” Medicine and Pharmacy University (UMF) in Bucharest, at some companies’ HQs and at 31 persons’ places in Bucharest, Giurgiu and Dambovita. The prosecutors are suspecting more persons of abuse of office and bribery related to the illegal assignment of some public procurement contracts.

“Evidence reveal that some persons running higher education institutions in Bucharest have assigned public procurement contracts to several companies owned by businessmen who were their acquaintances, by breaking the law regarding public procurement process,” reads a press release issued by the Supreme Court’s Prosecutor’s Office.

According investigators, six persons are to be taken for hearings. Among them, there would also be the administrative general manager of UMF Bucharest, Dan Pahoni, as he is suspected of asking commissions for the procurement contracts concluded by the Medicine Faculty with the companies.

Judicial sources told local media that the public procurement contracts were signed by Dan Pahoni, after he claimed 40 percent of their value.

The dean of the Medicine Faculty, doctor Doina Plesca told Agerpres that no faculty of UMF is involved in any public procurement, as the law doesn’t allow that. “Within any university, the faculties are not legal entities, so they cannot make any procurements. We can buy not a single pencil or ballpoint,” she said.