Mayor of Constanta released after short arrest, investigation into alleged bribery continues

After an 11-hour arrest, the mayor of Romanian seaside city of Constanta, Radu Mazare was released on Wednesday evening (April 9), but the investigation into his alleged bribe will continue. Mazare spent one night in arrest after being taken for questioning in a corruption case in which he allegedly took a EUR 175,000 bribe from a businessman. Prosecutors believe Mazare helped Avraham Morgenstern, representative of the company which built a social housing compound in Constanta, land the deal with the municipality. The businessman has also been detained for 24 hours, but was later release, together with Mazare. Prosecutors alleged Mazare, an important member of the ruling party the Social Democratic Party PSD, helped this company land the contract for the project back in 2011, and increase the value of the contract after signing the deal, to some EUR 10 million. editor@romania-insider.com