Local officials placed under arrest
Anti-corruption prosecutors have taken into custody two local officials from cities across Romania.
Bogdan Matei, 07.11.2014, 13:26
The Romanian judiciary is being relentless these days. Paying no heed to the heated public debates ahead of the second round of the presidential election in Romania, scheduled for November 16, anti-corruption prosecutors have arrested another two local officials wanted in several high-profile corruption cases. After years in office, both so-called “local barons” had turned their county or city into genuine spheres of influence.
Prosecutors on Thursday arrested the suspended president of the Constanta County Council Social-Democrat MP Nicusor Constantinescu. Constantinescu was arrested on Thursday on the Bucharest International Airport and handed over to judicial authorities pending the validation of the arrest warrant.
Earlier this week Constantinescu had been taken into custody by Turkish authorities under an international arrest warrant, after, over of the last six months, he had been seeking medical treatment in the United States. Constantinescu traveled to the US legally, but failed to return on the date set by prosecutors, who were investigating him in six criminal cases, for abuse of office against public interest and gaining undue benefits. A known associate of Constanta Mayor Radu Mazare ever since 2000, Constantinescu was in charge of managing one of the most economically active counties in Romania, also venuing the country’s largest maritime port.
The other local official placed under arrest is Social-Democrat MP Tudor Pendiuc, Mayor of Pitesti. Pendiuc was arrested on Thursday evening and is facing allegations of abuse of office and bribe-taking. Another four people were arrested in the same case, including Pendiuc’s own daughter. Pendiuc is one of the longest-serving public officials in Romania, being subsequently re-elected as Mayor of Pitesti ever since 1992.
These are but the latest in a larger numbers of arrests anti-corruption prosecutors have operated this year, eying not just the ranks of the Social-Democrats. The Mayor of Bacau Liberal MP Romeo Stavarache and the Mayor of Piatra-Neamt Liberal-Democrat Gheorghe Stefan, the latter a well-established supporter of president Traian Basescu, have ended behind bars for corruption. Moreover, the president of the Brasov County Council Liberal MP Aristotel Cancescu is in turn being investigated in a high-profile corruption case.
Each of the aforementioned people have played key roles in the latest election, succeeding in rallying the support of local businesses, social workers and heads of local administration to gain the maximum number of votes. Pundits say their indictment might cause a shift in the balance of power ahead of the upcoming elections.
