Romania's Finance Minister Darius Valcov resigned on Sunday evening, March 15, after the anti-corruption prosecutors charged him with influence peddling.

On Friday evening, prosecutors questioned Valcov for several hours at the National Anticorruption Directorate. They also presented him the accusations.

According to a DNA statement, when he was mayor of Slatina, Valcov allegedly received EUR 2 million bribes to help a local businessman get public contracts. He allegedly helped the businessman get contracts with the city hall in 2009 in exchange for receiving a 20% cut.

On Sunday afternoon, President Klaus Iohannis asked for Valcov's resignation. Soon after that, Prime Minister Victor Ponta said that Valcov handed him his resignation earlier that day.

He added that he accepted Valcov’s resignation, but asked him to finalize the new Fiscal Code draft and to present it to the Government.

Ponta said last week that the Government will complete the new Fiscal Code draft project around March 18-20.

editor@romania-insider.com