Romanian PM misses hearing in corruption case for surgery in Turkey

Romania’s Prime Minister Victor Ponta missed his hearing with the anticorruption prosecutors on Monday. He went to Turkey to have surgery, according to Romanian Digi 24 news station. Ponta didn’t make it to the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) to answer the prosecutors’ questions about some contracts he had with his friend Dan Sova’s law firm in 2007-2008, which were allegedly illegal. His lawyer asked the prosecutors to postpone the hearing. According to the Romanian media, Victor Ponta went to Turkey for a knee surgery after an injury during a basketball game a couple of weeks ago. The Romanian physicians who examined Ponta suggested the surgery. Victor Ponta survived a very hard week, managing to keep his political immunity and his PM position, despite corruption allegations and a no-confidence motion from the Opposition. Romanian PM keeps his immunity as fellow MPs shield him against corruption charges Romanian Government survives no-confidence motion even without ruling party votes In the weekend, he went to Baku, in Azerbaijan, where he attended the opening ceremony of the European Games, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ponta’s decision to go to Baku stirred new criticism from the Opposition, as most EU leaders boycotted the games. editor@romania-insider.com