Romania’s former Chamber of Deputies speaker sentenced to 7 years jail for bribe taking

The Bucharest Court on Tuesday, December 24, sentenced former Chamber of Deputies speaker Bogdan Olteanu to seven years in jail for taking a bribe while holding this position. Olteanu has also served as vice president of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and deputy governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR).

He was sent to court by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) for facilitating the illegal appointment of Liviu Mihaiu as governor of the Danube Delta Reserve Area after receiving EUR 1 million from controversial businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vintu.

DNA prosecutors charged him with influence peddling and demanded a 10-year prison sentence. At the last hearing, the DNA representative stated that the case against Bogdan Olteanu included evidence that proved his guilt, including the statements given by Sorin Ovidiu Vîntu, some businessmen and the former governor of the Danube Delta Liviu Mihaiu, but also bank records and telephone and environmental interceptions.

Olteanu can appeal the sentence of the Bucharest Court.

Bogdan Olteanu was a vice president of the PNL in the 2000s, close to former liberal leader and PM Călin Popescu Tariceanu, and he was the president of the Chamber of Deputies between 2006 and 2008. He later became deputy governor of BNR.

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