Anti-corruption prosecutors take Romanian County Council head into custody for alleged work abuse

Romanian prosecutors have recently taken into custody the head of the Constanta County Council, Nicusor Constantinescu (in picture), who is accused of abusing his position. He was taken on Wednesday (January 15) by Anti- Corruption prosecutors, who are looking into how several payments of public money were approved and carried out. Constantinescu, a member of the ruling coalition the Social Liberal Union (USL), coming from within USL member party the Social Democratic Party (PSD), has been a politician since 2000 when he won a local counsellor seat in Constanta. Four years later, he became the head of the county council. He went on to be elected a second and a third time, in 2008 and 2012. Upon being taken into custody by prosecutors, Constantinescu, nicnkamed by the local media as a 'local magnate', said the national Anticorruption Direction (DNA) should be closed down, as prosecutors 'do whatever they want in Romania, even if USL is the ruling coalition.' “Why am I being treated like an animal, like a criminal? I was bullied. They do what they want in Romania, it doesn't matter that the USL is governing. The DNA should be closed down. They took me out of a parking lot like a thief, like an animal […] Every time I got a legal citation, I arrived with my lawyer, and won every trial,” said Constantinescu, quoted by Mediafax newswire upon exiting the DNA headquarters. He further accused the DNA of being a 'political militia' and said he was not guilty of anything. He compared the county council with the Parliament which casts votes on laws at a local level, and if they are illegal, the prefect appeals them. “Why should the DNA check the activity of the county council?” Constantinescu further argued. While the investigation is ongoing, he is not allowed to leave the country. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Nicusor Constantinescu on Facebook)