Romanian President approves the prosecution of three ex-ministers in Microsoft case

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis approved on Tuesday, November 29, the National Anticorruption Department DNA’s request to start the criminal prosecution of three former ministers in the second case related to the purchase of overpriced Microsoft licenses. The three ministers are Dan Nica – communications minister between 2000 and July 2004, Adriana Ticau – communications minister between July and December 2004, and Alexandru Athanasiu – education minister from 2003 to 2004. All three of them are charged with abuse of office. Prosecutors say that all three former ministers have initiated and supported the Government decisions for concluding the commercial rental agreement between the Romanian Government and Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH, for licenses for Microsoft products. This way, Fujitsu Siemens Computers was named the sole provider for these products, and a public auction was avoided. The company also made undue profits, while the Romanian state suffered large damages, of more than USD 67 million. Claudiu Florica, the former head of Fujitsu Romania, Silviu Hotaran, the former general director of Microsoft Romania, and Ovidiu Artopolescu, the former general manager of Microsoft Romania, were also placed under judicial control for 60 days in this case. Former communications minister Gabriel Sandu, former Piatra Neamt mayor Gheorghe Stefan and two local businessmen have already been convicted to jail in another case related to more recent acquisitions of Microsoft licenses. Romanian court rules higher jail sentences in Microsoft licenses case Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com