Pro Romania's Banicioiu: Accusations are false; I want my immunity lifted; I no longer candidate in elections

Pro Romania MP Nicolae Banicioiu on Tuesday said, related to the DNA's (National Anti-Corruption Directorate) request regarding the criminal investigation in his case for influence peddling and bribery, that he agrees with the lifting of his parliamentary immunity because he does not have anything to hide and he wants the situation to be clarified as soon as possible, while also mentioning that he has decided not to run for a new parliamentary term.

"Today I was surprised to see the DNA statement and I want to make the following clarifications: first of all I consider the accusations that appeared in the media to be false and for this reason, I want to have access to the file as soon as possible! I want my parliamentary immunity to be lifted, for I have nothing to hide and I think that clarifying the situation as soon as possible will be in everyone's best interest," Nicolae Banicioiu said in a Facebook post.

The DNA asked the General Prosecutor to notify the Chamber of Deputies about a request for approval to carry out a criminal investigation against a certain Deputy, who was also a Minister back at the time, for committing crimes of influence peddling and taking bribery, repeatedly.

Judicial sources told AGERPRES that the MP in question is Deputy Nicolae Banicioiu.

"According to the legal and constitutional provisions, the Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate sent to the Prosecutor General of the ICCJ the report of the case, in order to notify the Chamber of Deputies about a request for approval to initiate a criminal investigation against a person, a Deputy in the Romanian Parliament, who was also a Minister back at the time, for committing the crimes of influence peddling and taking bribery, repeatedly," DNA said in a press release to AGERPRES.

According to the DNA, the prosecutors are conducting an investigation into suspicions of acts of corruption having been committed in the context of the sale of medical goods to public hospitals located in the municipality of Bucharest and Ilfov County and subordinated to the Ministry of Health.