Former Romanian Internal Affairs Minister questioned in bribery case

Former Internal Affairs Minister Cristian David was brought in for questioning to the National Anticorruption Directorate DNA, on Wednesday, January 21. The prosecutors initially issued a summons in his name in a case in which he is investigated for bribery and money laundering, reports local Mediafax. DNA prosecutors announced David that they were investigating him for taking bribes, after he allegedly received EUR 500,000 from a local businessman, in 2007, to help him reclaim ownership of a 15-hectare land in Buzau. He received the money in February 2008. According to DNA documents cited by local news agency Mediafax, Cristian David was indicted on January 19 for bribery and the criminal proceedings started a day later. On November 10, 2014, DNA prosecutors asked Romania’s former President Traian Basescu for approval to begin prosecuting Cristian David, for bribery. Later that month, Basescu announced that he approved the start of criminal proceedings against David. The former Internal Minister said that he had no involvement in the issuance of any document relating to property rights settlement. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com