Former Environmental Guard chief says he was offered EUR 10 mln bribe to mediate defense contract

Romania’s former head of the Environmental Guard, Octavian Berceanu, has claimed he was offered a EUR 10 million bribe to intervene in a defense-related commercial deal, he revealed in an interview with Europa FM.

According to Berceanu, the offer came from former Social Democrat (PSD) senator Marius Isăilă, who allegedly asked him to use his connections to influence Defense Minister Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu (Save Romania Union - USR) in order to secure several military procurement contracts.

Berceanu said the scheme involved bringing Soviet-type military equipment into Romania, repainting it, and then exporting it to Ukraine.

“Isăilă asked me to ensure that the deal would go through,” Berceanu stated, adding that “state actors” were also involved, but he declined to provide details “because there are many institutions that want to find out the truth.”

He reported the approach to the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, using recording equipment during his meetings with Isăilă.

The DNA has since opened an investigation into the case. Neither the Defence Ministry nor Isăilă have publicly commented on the allegations so far.

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