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The criminal file in which the Social Democratic Party (PSD, main at rule) national leader Liviu Dragnea is charged with incitement to abuse of office and forgery in connection with the hiring of two party members at the DGASPC (General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection) Teleorman will be resumed on 3 October, according to a decision taken by the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) on Tuesday. Justice Ana-Maria Dascalu was replaced in the panel, following retirement, and the new magistrate raised for discussion the resuming of the entire judicial investigation.
The sitting prosecutor said that the culprits should express their point of view, since they are directly affected by such a decision. Liviu Dragnea's lawyer demanded the court to resume the judicial investigation, "in accordance with the ECHR decisions", saying that no other solution exists. "The justices who make the decision have to be the same who have participated in the administration of all evidence the long of the trial. For the deadline we are going to give, all defendants have to be present in court," said the chairman of the court panel.
Liviu Dragnea was sent to court by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) on 15 July 2016 for two counts of incitement to abuse of office if the public sector worker obtained for self or for another an undue benefit and for incitement to forgery, respectively, in his capacity of Chairman of the Teleorman County Council. The former wife of Liviu Dragnea, Bombonica Prodana was sent to court in the same case for abuse of office if the public sector worker obtained for self or for other an undue benefit. At the time the alleged offenses were perpetrated, Prodana was the coordinator of the Complex for child and family services and head of the Secretariat with the Teleorman General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection. Several other employees with the DGASPC Teleorman were also sent to court.
DNA says that Dragnea meddled for the maintaining in their jobs and payment of their salaries for two DGASPC Teleorman female employees, although he knew that the two were actually working within the PSD Teleorman organisation. The two are Adriana Botorogeanu, hired since 2005 at the DGASPC Teleorman as expert inspector with the Administrative Department, and Anisa Niculina Stoica, hired as reference officer since 2006. According to the prosecutors, the two employees have never showed up at work and never worked for the DGASPC Teleorman, actually activating at the PSD Teleorman county organisation.
