Romanian Tax Authority’s vice-president, indicted for influence peddling

Romanian anticorruption prosecutors have indicted Romeo Florin Nicolae, the vice-president of Romania’s Tax Authority ANAF and head of ANAF’s Anti-Fraud Direction, for influence peddling. In 2010, he allegedly asked and received EUR 5,000 from a firm representative to favorably settle an appeal against a tax decision, according to prosecutors of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA). Back then Nicolae was working as superior adviser within ANAF’s General Directorate for Fiscal Inspection Coordination. The firm which asked Nicolae for help had to make additional payments of almost EUR 3 million to the state budget, according to the tax decision. ANAF later reduced his payment obligation from EUR 3 million to almost EUR 250,000. Prosecutors questioned Romeo Florin Nicolae at the National Anticorruption Directorate headquarters in Ploiesti on September 9. He said he hasn’t done anything that could raise complaints. ANAF president Gelu Stefan Diacon asked Prime Minister Victor Ponta to suspend Romeo Florin Nicolae from his position until his legal situation got clear. editor@romania-insider.com