Opposition accuses Romania's health minister of EUR 20 mln consultancy contract given to WHO

Romanian opposition MP Emanuel Ungureanu (USR) filed an official notification to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) regarding the consultancy contract, worth EUR 20 million, concluded by the minister of health Alexandru Rafila (Social Democratic Party, PSD), in a discretionary manner, from the funds allocated by the European Union through the National Resilience Plan (PNRR).

The contract, signed by Alexandru Rafila with his former collaborators from the World Health Organization (WHO), raises suspicions that it was concluded by committing acts of abuse of office, embezzlement, and fraud, according to the USR press release, quoted by News.ro.

"It's just that there are institutions in Romania - such as the National Authority for Health Quality Management, the State Sanitary Inspection, the Romanian Parliament, or the Ministry of Health - which have already created documents, laws, ministerial orders, procedures, which are duplicated by the objectives that should be fulfilled by WHO through the consultancy contract," according to USR.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)