High court rejects prosecutors’ request to investigate Romanian deputy PM

Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice rejected on Monday, February 26, a request filed by the anticorruption prosecutors to reopen an investigation against deputy prime minister Paul Stanescu. The case, which started after a notification from the Court of Auditors, targeted possible fund embezzlement at the Olt County Council related to the financing of a football club. Prosecutors from the National Anticorruption Directorate’s office in Craiova initially investigated this case but decided to close it in 2013. In 2018, DNA asked the High Court to approve the reopening of this case, claiming that new evidence had emerged. However, the request was denied and the court’s decision is final. Paul Stanescu was the president of Olt County Council from June 2008 until June 2016. In 2016, he was elected senator and in October 2017 he was appointed deputy prime minister and minister of regional development. He is also a powerful leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), loyal to party leader Liviu Dragnea. editor@romania-insider.com