Owner of tabloid newspaper in Romania admits to passing bribe to former tourism minister

Local businessman Radu Budeanu, the owner of local tabloid newspaper Cancan, admitted that he intermediated a bribe from an energy trader to former tourism minister Elena Udrea, as he was questioned on Wednesday by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), according to judicial sources quoted by Digi 24 news station. The anti-corruption prosecutors, who initially held Budeanu, decided to place him under judicial control for a period of 60 days, in echange for a RON 2 million (EUR 450,000) bail. If he fails to make the payment, the prosecutors will replace the judicial control with a more serious measure, according to a statement of the National Anticorruption Department DNA. Radu Budeanu was charged with influence peddling and money laundering in a case that also involves former tourism minister Elena Udrea. In the summer of 2010, Udrea allegedly demanded USD 5 million from a local businessman in order to help him renew a contract concluded between his electricity trading company and the state-owned power producer Hidroelectrica, according to DNA’s announcement. Radu Budeanu aparently acted as an intermediary in this deal. According to the prosecutors, in late-2011, Budeanu received from the same businessman a part of the money required by Elena Udrea. In early-2012, Udrea received USD 3.8 million in cash and a EUR 900,000 receivable title on a media company. According to judicial sources cited by local Mediafax, Bogdan Buzaianu is the businessman to which DNA prosecutors have been referring when talking about the contract with Hidroelectrica for which Udrea asked the USD 5 million bribe. Buzaianu is the owner of Energy Holding, one of the so-called “smart guys” in the local energy sector. Another local businessman allegedly involved in this case is Dan Andronic, the general manager of Evenimentul Zilei publication. The DNA also asked Elena Udrea to pay a RON 5 million bail to avoid arrest, but Udrea argued that she didn't have the money, as all her assets were frozen due to previous investigations, so the prosecutors settled to seize a building co-owned by Udrea. Romanian prosecutors come up with new bribery, influence peddling charges against former tourism minister Former Romanian minister Elena Udrea released from prison into house arrest Romanian prosecutors hold former minister Elena Udrea on influence peddling Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com