An anti-graft prosecutor on Thursday asked the Bucharest Court to hand former Chamber of Deputies' Speaker Bogdan Olteanu the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison in a case where he is charged with having received one million euros in bribe money from businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vintu.
At the final hearing before the court this Thursday, the representative of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) said that there is plenty of evidence in the case to prove Bogdan Olteanu's guilt, including the statements given by Sorin Ovidiu Vintu, several businessmen and former Danube Delta governor Liviu Mihaiu, but also bank documents and phone and outdoor wiretaps.
"Defendant Bogdan Olteanu has requested and received one million euros plus electoral support from Sorin Ovidiu Vintu. Witness Sorin Ovidiu Vintu admitted to the deeds and was sent to court for buying influence (...).
Another statement is that of Realitatea Media managing director Sorin Enache, who said that at that time Sorin Ovidiu Vintu wanted Mihaiu to quit his job at the 'Academia Catavencu' satire weekly and have him promoted for Danube Delta governor. These statements are also confirmed by bank documents of foreign authorities.
The wiretapping performed shows that Sorin Ovidiu Vintu was interested in Mihaiu's appointment to this position. The key witnesses in the case underwent the lie-detector test which found their statements had been sincere. Bogdan Olteanu refused to take the polygraph test. An economic report also shows that Bogdan Olteanu's expenses exceeded his legal incomes," the prosecutor argued.
In addition to the prison sentence, the prosecutor requested that the one million euros be seized from Bogdan Olteanu.
In his final word before the court, Olteanu denied the accusations of the DNA prosecutors and having received money from Sorin Ovidiu Vintu or anyone else, emphasizing that he hadn't been involved in any discussion whatsoever about Liviu Mihaiu's appointment to Danube Delta governor. He said that Liviu Mihaiu had everyone's support for the position and the decision had been taken by the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the government.
The anti-graft agency sent Bogdan Olteanu to court in October 2016, charging him with having requested and received from businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vintu, between July - November 2008, during his term as Chamber of Deputies' Speaker, one million euros and electoral support in exchange for the appointment of Liviu Mihaiu as Danube Delta governor.
Following Olteanu's intervention, Mihaiu landed the position on September 18, 2008, the prosecutors assert.
According to the prosecutors, the amount of one million euros was transferred from an account in Cyprus to the Bulgarian account of a company incorporated in the US and then withdrawn in cash on three consecutive days. Upon Vintu's request, the money was subsequently sent to Olteanu, at his office at the PNL headquarters.
The prosecutors further hold that as he ran in autumn 2008 for a seat of deputy, Bogdan Olteanu received, at the orders of Sorin Ovidiu Vintu, political consultation during the electoral campaign without paying for the services worth tens of thousands of euros.
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