Former SRI deputy director about Kovesi: Never learned about any potentially criminal activity

Former first deputy director of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) Florian Coldea said on Thursday in connection with the case of former anti-corruption head Laura Codruta Kovesi that he had never learned about any activity that could have been a crime.

"In brief, just one observation with regard to Mrs. Laura Codruta Kovesi. Personally, under no circumstance have I learned about any activity that could have been a crime, nor have I obtained at the level of the institution any information regarding possible crimes, or possible data in this respect," Coldea said after being heard at the headquarters of the Magistrates' Investigation Section (SIIJ), where he had been summoned in the case of the repatriation of former FNI director Nicolae Popa.

In this case, former chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate Laura Codruta Kovesi is being prosecuted for abuse of office, bribery and false testimony. According to the prosecutors of the Magistrates' Investigation Section, Kovesi claimed and received in 2011 the amount of 268,689 lei from Sebastian Ghita in connection with the extradition of former FNI director Nicolae Popa.