Speaker Dragnea, prosecuted over criminal group formation, abuse of office, financial improprieties

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and national leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea is currently being prosecuted by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) over the establishment of a criminal group, abuse of office and financial improprieties while he was chairman of the Teleorman County Council, according to DNA. 

According to a DNA press statement, Dragnea, chairman of the Teleorman County Council at the time when the offences were committed, is being investigated over the establishment of an organised criminal group, two criminal offences of use or presentation in bad faith of misleading, inaccurate or incomplete statements or documents when the end result of offence is unfairly obtaining European funds and two criminal offences of abuse of office with the obtainment of ill-gotten benefits for self or others. 

Also investigated in the same case are eight more people. 

DNA says that the case was opened on a complaint from OLAF (European Anti-Fraud Office) sent on September 30, 2016 on the suspicion of several offences, including the illegal obtainment based on misinterpretations of European funds for rehabilitation works on county roads. 

"Suspect Liviu Dragnea, chairman of CJ Teleorman, has initiated an organised crime group that is even currently operating and that has been made up of public servants from the administration and business people. The main purpose of the group established in 2001 is fraudulently obtaining important amounts from publicly funded contracts (national and European) by abuse of office, financial improprieties involving European funds, tax evasion, money laundering and the use of classified information or allowing unauthorised access to such information," according to DNA. AGERPRES .