Mayor of Romanian city investigated for unjustified wealth

Romania’s National Integrity Agency (ANI), a body that checks the wealth and conflict of interest of public servants and politicians, announced that it has spotted an unjustified difference of RON 2.7 million (EUR 570,000) between the acquired wealth and the incomes realized by Cătălin Cherecheş, the mayor of Baia Mare -- an important city in northwest Romania, Profit.ro reported.

ANI reviewed the statements filed by Cherecheş for the period between June 2012 and December 2017. ANI notified the special commission specialized in such cases, at Cluj Court of Appeal. Separately, ANI notified the prosecutors for possible false statements filed by mayor Cherecheş, related to a EUR 500,000 loan Cherecheş claimed to have extended in 2016 to a third party.

Immediately after ANI’s statement, Cherecheş stated that he received a donation of EUR 1.5 million from her mother, who got the money from selling a property, Hotnews.ro reported.

Chereches has been a controversial politician particularly since he was voted as Baia Mare mayor in 2016 while being in jail, arrested for alleged corruption deeds. His mother, Viorica Chereches, was elected as a deputy in Romania’s Parliament the same year on the lists of the National Liberal Party.

Cătălin Cherecheş himself supported PNL up to a point, but on May 22 changed his position and supported the senior ruling, Social Democratic Party (PSD). Cătălin Cherecheş run his own political vehicle, Coalitia pentru Baia Mare. On June 1, PNL initiated the procedures to exclude his mother, MP Viorica Chereches.

(Photo: Cătălin Cherecheș Facebook Page)