Romanian ministers fight over agency accused of corruption

The minister of interior Lucian Bode, a member of the senior ruling Liberal (PNL) party, claims that the agency for sea rescue ARSVOM will not be dismantled - as suggested by his reformist (USR PLUS) partner, the minister of transport Catalin Drula.

It will only be transferred from the transport ministry to the interior ministry, he said, Hotnews.ro reported.

The anti-corruption directorate DNA started investigations against the top manager of the agency, accused of having accepted a bribe.

After the case became public, minister Drula decided to dismantle the agency, and he said that he had already received the permit from prime minister Florin Citu in this regard.

He said that the functions of the agency would be transferred to another body (IGSU) that handles the emergency situations - a move along the line of simplifying the public administration. IGSU is under the supervision of the ministry of interior.

"Considering the role and responsibilities of the two authorities in the field, especially ARSVOM, and I mean the role they have in the area of emergency situations, a field managed by the ministry of internal affairs, I found the need to initiate steps for integration within the ministry and its coordination by the Department for Emergency Situations," Bode said.

(Photo: Lucian Bode/ Facebook Page)