Tariceanu’s former wife confirms the DNA charges about his relationship with Tal Silberstein

Senate Speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu’s former wife, Ioana Valmar, has confirmed the charges brought by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) against her former husband.

Tariceanu’s ex-wife has told investigators she knew since 2006 that Tal Silberstein is interested in the former Baneasa Farm and he asked for her help to draw up documents on the assets, realitatea.net informs.

Ioana Valmar claims she met Silberstein at Remus Truica’s home to discuss the solution in order to avoid paying taxes for selling the asset. Valmar says she told Tariceanu about the meeting so that he had been informed about the discussion.

Former PM Victor Ponta had also mentioned he was aware of the meetings between Silberstein and Tariceanu after 2008, although the Senate Speaker claims that after 2008 any connection between him and Silberstein was cut off.

“Witness Ioana Valmar stated ever since 2006 that Tal Silberstein had told her he would get assets from the ones requested by Paul Lambrino (aka Prince Paul of Romania) for which she would make the notary documents and in 2008, after acquiring the Baneasa Farm she went to Remus Truica’s house in Snagov, upon his request. She joined a discussion about finding solutions to avoid paying taxes due for selling the asset, discussion she recounted to defender Calin Popescu Tariceanu,” the testimony of Tariceanu’s former wife reads, Realitatea TV reports.

By her testimony, Ioana Valmar confirmed that Tariceanu kept in touch with Dan Andronic and Tal Silberstein, after offering him consultancy for the 2008 elections. “I took part to Dan Andronic’s wedding in 2007-2008 and Tal Silberstein was present too. I met Shimon Sheves at the wedding, being introduced to us by Tal. I was accompanied by my former husband Calin Popescu Tariceanu and we sat at the table together with Shimon Shevez and his wife. I do not recall him working for my husband during the campaign,” Ioana Valmar said.

Senate Speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu is indicted for false testimony and for favouring the perpetrator, in the file he was witness on the retrocession of land in Snagov forest and Baneasa Farm, in which Remus Truica and Prince Paul are also indicted, according to a ruling in early February. Also indicted is the former Presidential head of chancellery Dorin Marian, charged with perjury.

Calin Popescu Tariceanu has challenged the ruling of the first court, which Okayed the start of the trial in this case and the Supreme Court has ruled in Tariceanu’s appeal, deciding that he can be tried for the charges.

The anti-corruption prosecutors accuse the Senate Speaker that he lied when he had been heard in the file related to Snagov forest and Baneasca Farm retrocession. The prejudice in this case is assessed to EUR 135,874,800.

The Brasov Court of Appeal has approved in March 2016 the arrest warrants in absentia for Israeli businessmen Tal Silberstein, Shimon Shevez and Benny Steinmetz, defendants in the file of illegal land restitution, 47 hectares of forest in Snagov forest and Baneasa Farm, a file in which businessman Remus Truica and Paul Lambrino (so-called Paul of Romania or Prince Paul) are investigated.