PSD's Dragnea tells top court his case is politically motivated and time will prove it

Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea told the top court judges on Monday that the case of the fictitious hiring of two women at the Teleorman Social Assistance and Child Protection Directorate General (DGASPC) he stands accused in is politically motivated and that time will confirm this.

"I am completely innocent and I want to assure you, no matter what you decide, that I didn't know the two did not go to work, and my opinion is that this is a political case and time will confirm this," Dragnea said, arguing also that he was unaware that Adriana Botorogeanu and Anisa Niculina Stoica were PSD members.

"I was traveling through the county during the election campaigns, one doesn't win sitting in the office. Of course we had our hands full during the campaigns, but there were dozens of volunteers. I don't know if Stoica and Botorogeanu were party members, I didn't know what their task was," Dragnea told the judges.

The High Court of Cassation and Justice on Monday had a new hearing in the DGASPC Teleorman fictitious employment case in which Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Dragnea was sentenced at first instance to 3 years and 6 months in prison for incitement to abuse of office in his then capacity as head of the Teleorman County Council.

In December 2013 the prosecutors took ex-officio action in the case of executive director of DGASPC Teleorman Floarea Alesu who kept Adriana Botorogeanu and Anisa Niculina Stoica on the job, in exchange for undue benefits.

According to the prosecutors, the two employees didn't show up to work and did not perform any of the activities set forth in their contract with DGASPC Teleorman, as they actually carried out their activity at the the Teleorman PSD organization.

The anti-corruption prosecutors argue that Liviu Dragnea, in his capacity as president of the Teleorman County Council, was also coordinating and supervising the activity of DGASPC Teleorman, that had Botorogeanu and Stoica on its payroll.

The prosecutors hold that Liviu Dragnea determined Anisa Niculina Stoica to take up the job and collect pay at DGASPC Teleorman.

Dragnea is also accused of having contributed, through his influence as president of the Teleorman County Council, to Adriana Botorogeanu and Anisa Niculina Stoica being kept on the job at DGASPC Teleorman.

AGERPRES .