Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has started another corruption investigation targeting former Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, who is currently serving a jail sentence for abuse of office.

The new investigation is related to Liviu Dragnea attending the swearing in ceremony of US President Donald Trump in 2017 without paying the fee.

Prosecutors evaluate the value of the benefits obtained by Dragnea by influence-peddling at EUR 380,000, of which EUR 250,000 represents the fee for attending the ceremony, EUR 30,000 consultancy and lobby related to the event, and EUR 100,000 - lobby not related to the ceremony, G4media.ro reported.

Romania's head-consul in Bonn, Gheorghe Dimitrescu, is also being investigated for bribery. In brief, Dimitrescu allegedly paid the fees for Dragnea to attend the ceremony and buy lobby in exchange for being appointed as the general consul in Bonn, according to DNA.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)