Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) announced on Wednesday, June 27, that former chief of police Catalin Ionita was a suspect in a corruption investigation.

The prosecutors are investigating Ionita for influence peddling. He allegedly used his influence to help a woman recover an 18-hectare land plot near Bucharest from the state in exchange for 4 hectares of that land. He and another member of his family also bought the remaining 14 hectares for EUR 70,000.

Ionita claims his career is “impeccable” and he will “go all the way through” to prove his innocence.

Catalin Ionita resigned on Tuesday (June 26) from Romania’s Chief of Police position over personal reasons. However, a day later, before going to the meeting with DNA prosecutors, he declared his resignation was “a gesture of honor and dignity”, as it was his “duty to step back and protect the Interior Ministry and Police’s image”.

Ionita was Chief of Police since January 17 and his appointment was a major source of tension between former PM Mihai Tudose and the ruling coalition. However, Tudose was eventually discharged after losing political backing.

Catalin Ionita was replaced with Ioan Buda, who has 28-year experience in the Interior Ministry. Moreover, he was deputy interior minister and chief of the department for public order and security, also coordinating the Romanian Police in 2015-2016. Buda was also former Chief of Customs Police and had been involved in several big scandals over the years.

editor@romania-insider.com