Former Romanian PM Ungureanu spends quarter million euros on perfumes, expensive food, beverage

Former Romanian Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, who had a brief term earlier this year, spent some EUR 250,000 from public funding on cosmetics, expensive alcoholic beverages and food early into office, according to Romanian daily Jurnalul National, which published a list of expenses the Cabinet made for the then PM. Ungureanu was at the helm of the Romanian Government for 78 days after previous PM Emil Boc resigned.

The list of purchases included Armani, Givency, Mont Blanc, Lolita Lempika and Cartier perfumes, Clinique cremes, various cosmetic items such as nail clippers, ear cotton buds, lip gloss, among others. The expenses list also included caviar, which is priced at around RON 10,000 a kilogram (or some EUR 2,200), Kobe beef, which costs some EUR 800 a kilo, foie gras, of some EUR 70 a kilogram, and whiskey worth some EUR 400 a bottle, according to Romania TV. "Let's not talk about silly things. Probably someone has to explain them. I didn't sign the expenses account," said the former PM when asked by journalists about this list of expenses. Ungureanu, a former head of the foreign intelligence service in Romania, became Romania's Prime Minister in February this year, but his cabinet did not survive a vote of no confidence in the Parliament later on in April. After leaving office, Mihai Razvan Ungureanu went on to create a new party, the Center Right Initiative, which is part of the coalition Right Romania, aiming at opposing the socialist bloc currently running the country. editor@romania-insider.com