Romania’s interim prime minister heard as witness in corruption case

Ilie Bolojan, Romania’s interim PM and head of the National Liberal Party (PNL), arrived at the Iași headquarters of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) on Friday, October 2, to be questioned as a witness in the case of businessman Fănel Bogos, accused of attempting to remove the head of the Vaslui Sanitary-Veterinary Directorate from office through political pressure.

The Bogos case began in September 2024, when an outbreak of salmonellosis was detected at one of his farms. After authorities intervened, Bogos prepared a file seeking RON 13 million in compensation from the state, which was rejected by the Vaslui Sanitary-Veterinary Directorate.

Prosecutors say Bogos then took steps to have the executive director of the DSVSA removed from office. The businessman allegedly offered a person RON 200,000, a sum disguised through consultancy contracts, to remove the health official from his post. Bogos also promised money to others so they would intervene toward the same goal.

On September 23, Fănel Bogos was received in the prime minister's office. The meeting was allegedly arranged by Mihai Barbu, former PNL Vaslui leader and, at the time, the party's treasurer.

The meeting was confirmed by government spokesperson Ioana Dogioiu, who explained that Barbu and Bogos claimed that the meeting was about “political organizational matters at the county branch level” and that the meeting lasted 15 minutes.

“The prime minister, obviously, has no knowledge of any amount requested or discussed for audiences; there is no such thing,” Dogioiu said at the time.

Bolojan later said that Bogos had not asked him for anything concrete and that the businessman had only complained that he was being “treated improperly” by the authorities in the county.

On November 6, 2025, Bogos was detained by prosecutors, while Barbu was placed under judicial supervision for allegedly using his political influence and authority to arrange meetings between Bogos and senior state officials.

In the same case, Cristina Trăilă, a deputy secretary general in the Bolojan government and former PNL MP, was placed under criminal investigation due to suspicions that she helped Bogos and Barbu put pressure on authorities to remove the head of the Vaslui Sanitary-Veterinary Directorate from office. Trăilă resigned as deputy secretary general of the government and said that the case was being used against Bolojan.

Bogos’s lawyer, Bogdan Gheorghiță, said upon entering the DNA headquarters that the charges brought against his client are unfounded, noting that the information in the case is based mainly on discussions held with other people. He further said that Bolojan's questioning is very important.