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Anti-corruption prosecutors are investigating two famous Bucharest doctors and several lawmakers in relation to illegal acts that caused losses of millions of euros to the state.

Bucharest Daily News, 05 May 2006Denisa Maruntoiu

The director of the Matei Bals Institute for Infectious Diseases, Dr. Adrian Streinu Cercel, and the head of the Floreasca Emergency Hospital, Dr. Serban Bradisteanu are being investigated for acts of corruption involving illegal acquisitions of medical equipment for Rahova Penitentiary's hospital, the head of the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA), Daniel Morar, announced yesterday.

The two famous doctors and another five people, including the deputy secretary and the economic director of the Justice Ministry, are believed to have caused state damages of up to four million euros.

The main charge brought against Streinu Cercel and Bradisteanu relates to illegal contract granting, Morar said.
Morar added that the owner of Steaua soccer club, Gigi Becali, is currently under scrutiny for alleged tax evasion concerning methods of payment of his soccer players' salaries. However, Morar pointed out that criminal charges have not yet been brought.

On March 14, the DNA announced that the transfer contracts for soccer players Florin Bratu and Adrian Mutu are likely to be the subject of a criminal investigation as the sums obtained by the clubs for their transfers abroad were not written in the account books.

The damage caused to the state budget due to the possible tax evasion is estimated at over one million euros.
Deputy PM's file to be completed by June
The head of the DNA informed the media that the file in which Deputy Prime Minister George Copos is under investigation for tax evasion valuing over one million euros is to be finalized in less than a month.

Nevertheless, in early April anti-corruption prosecutors decided to unlock some of the bank accounts of Copos, a member of the Conservative Party and the former head of the administrative council of the company Ana Electronic.

Anti-corruption prosecutors started the criminal pursuit on Copos' name in January, when they blocked several of his accounts.

According to the prosecutors, Copos and two accomplices managed to avoid paying taxes to the state and brought damages of over 40 billion old lei (about one million euros), by carrying out a fictive transaction after selling 38 commercial spaces.

Moreover, the DNA's head announced yesterday that the prosecutors have completed the file in which Social Democratic Senator Serban Mihailescu, who served as a general secretary in the former government, has been charged with taking a bribe of 11 hunting rifles in exchange for hiring a government adviser.

"Mihailescu was notified about the charges against him and the file is to reach the judges' desk in the days to come," said Morar, adding that
Mihailescu's file is one of the nine files concerning major acts of corruption carried out by lawmakers or former lawmakers that the anti-corruption prosecutors are currently investigating.

Mihailescu is being investigated and has been charged with receiving the rifles, worth 27,000 RON (7,780 euros) in exchange for naming Fanel Pavalache to a position as a government adviser.
Pavalache is serving a six-year prison sentence for a separate corruption case. According to anti-corruption prosecutors, Mihailescu used his influence and authority as party vice president and minister to obtain the rifles in 2002.

"The Zambaccian file is not buried"
Morar also tackled the issue of the Zambaccian file, in which the former head of the Chamber of Deputies, Social Democrat Adrian Nastase, is accused of receiving bribes and other undeserved advantages. Official charges were brought against Nastase in February, triggering Nastase's resignation as head of the Chamber of Deputies.

The Social Democrats also withdrew their support for Nastase as executive president of the organization.

"Recently the media reported that nothing is going on in the Zambaccian case. It is not true. The prosecutors are working and they know what they have to do. The fact that the case is no longer in the spotlight does not imply it has been 'buried'," argued Morar.

On the other hand, journalist Adrian Ursu said that it is strange that the prosecutors have stopped
hearing "famous figures," the way they did in February, when the scandal broke out.

In addition, Morar said that another four corruption cases are currently under scrutiny. "The prosecutors are investigating illegal public acquisitions involving the Public Radio Station, the National Administration of Penitentiaries, the Ministry of Defense and the National Railroad Company," said the DNA's head.

In one of the files, prosecutors are investigating the former director of the National Railroad Company, Mihai Necolaiciuc and the former Transportation State Secretary Traian Panait, the charges being related to abuse of position and fraud. The two are believed to have caused losses of up to 27 million euros.

Morar fights NGO's report on corruption
The chief-prosecutor yesterday contradicted a report on the situation of corruption in Romania, completed by Transparency International, which stated that the DNA does not have enough resources to complete properly the major corruption files and that most of the anti-corruption prosecutor are too old.

"The report said that 70 percent of the prosecutors are too old, but the reality is that 73 percent of them are under 45," said Morar.

The DNA head also said that the report accused the DNA of not "using the qualitative investigation."

"It sounds like a very harsh criticism, but it would have been better if we were able to understand what this means," said Morar, adding that it is a great achievement that the DNA has leveled charges in nine corruption files in less than seven months.

As for the DNA's resources, Morar said that he has appointed nine new prosecutors that are to be approved by the Magistrates Supreme Council and that ten new chief-prosecutors are already in position.

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