Romanian prosecutors ask Parliament’s approval to investigate former SocDem minister

The prosecutors of Romania's anti-corruption directorate DNA have asked the Parliament to lift the immunity of an MP, whom they suspect of influence peddling and bribery during his mandate as a minister.

The prosecutors cited a total bribe worth RON 3.9 million (just over EUR 0.5 mln).

According to G4Media.ro sources, the former minister targeted by the DNA investigation is Nicolae Banicioiu, a former minister of youth in the Government of Social Democrat prime minister Victor Ponta.

Prosecutors claim that, during his term as minister of youth, 2012-2014, Banicioiu allegedly demanded and received RON 1.29 mln from two businessmen for influencing the then minister of health, Eugen Nicolaescu (National Liberal Party), to appoint certain persons preferred by the respective businessmen as hospital managers.

Moreover, the prosecutors claim that Bănicioiu received another bribe, of RON 2.6 mln, from the same businessmen, after he became minister of health, between 2014 and 2015.

The stake of the manager appointments was the allocation of money to the respective hospitals, which had ongoing contracts with companies controlled by the two businessmen.

Nicolae Banicioiu is now a deputy and a member of Victor Ponta's Pro Romania party. He rejected the prosecutors' accusations in a Facebook post. He added that he has nothing against having his immunity lifted so that the whole situation is cleared and that he would not run for another term.

(Photo source: Facebook/Nicolae Banicioiu)