Romanian prosecutors apprehend mayor as he was refunding a bribe

Prosecutors from Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) recently announced that Ion Georgescu, the mayor of the city of Mioveni, in southern Romania, has been detained for influence peddling. He was caught as he was attempting to return a bribe.

According to DNA, the mayor allegedly accepted a bribe of EUR 30,000 from a person, the witness, in exchange for the employment of the witness's relative at the Municipal Hospital.

The mayor allegedly received the first installment of EUR 10,000 in December 2022, with the rest of the money expected to be received after the employment of the relative in question.

"Because the mayor has not been able to fulfill the 'promise' made to the witness so far, the latter asked him to refund the sum of EUR 10,000 previously given," the DNA statement further states.

The mayor reportedly refunded the amount on Wednesday, October 4, right at the city hall, when he was caught in the act by prosecutors. A few hours after the event, he was expelled from the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

(Photo source: Ion Georgescu on Facebook)