Romania’s National Bank: Arrested deputy governor’s attributions will be taken by the other executives

The other executive members of Romania’s National Bank (BNR) board will take over deputy governor Bogdan Olteanu’s attributions after he was arrested on Thursday night on influence peddling charges, BNR announced in a press release. BNR also pointed out that the anticorruption prosecutors’ investigation targets Bogdan Olteanu’s activity before he was voted BNR deputy governor. The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) held Bogdan Olteanu on Thursday night charging him with influence peddling. Olteanu allegedly received EUR 1 million and other benefits from a local businessman to use his influence and get the Government to name a certain person as governor of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority, according to a DNA press release. This happened in 2008, when Olteanu was president of the Chamber of Deputies. The Parliament voted him into the BNR board in October 2009. Olteanu’s nomination for the position was unexpected at that time. It was supported by the National Liberal party (PNL), who had recently changed its leadership. Crin Antonescu, the new party president wanted to neutralize the main supporters of the former leader, Calin Popescu Tariceanu. That’s why Bogdan Olteanu, one of Tariceanu’s mentees, was moved from the Parliament to a top position within the central bank, according to media reports at that time. Bogdan Olteanu replaced Eugen Dijmarescu, an experienced banker, who coordinated BNR’s Market Operations Direction at that time. Dijmarescu was also in charge with the committee that managed BNR’s international reserves. Olteanu, who studied law, didn’t have the experience to lead such important departments, so BNR’s top management had to reorganize and Governor Mugur Isarescu took the Market Operations Direction under his coordination. Bogdan Olteanu was given a more administrative role. He currently coordinates the Banking Resolution Direction, the IT Direction, the Legal Direction, the Technical and Maintenance Direction, and the Purchase Direction within BNR. BNR's Purchase Direction has recently launched a public tender to buy 5 limousines through an operation leasing contract estimated at around EUR 1 million (VAT included) for the next four years, according to local Profit.ro. The other executive members of the BNR board are Governor Mugur Isarescu, First Deputy Governor Florin Georgescu, and Deputy Governor Liviu Voinea. The BNR board also includes five non-executive members. editor@romania-insider.com