Romsilva hires politician previously investigated for illegal restitution of own forests

Ilie Sarbu (73), a former influential Social Democrat leader and the father-in-law of Victor Ponta - honorary adviser to prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, was appointed a member of the Board of Directors of the national management of public forests company Romsilva, according to an order signed by the minister of the environment, Mircea Fechet (Liberal party), and quoted by G4media.ro.

Sarbu has no experience related to forestry; he was previously the vice-president of the Court of Accounts.

In 2014, the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) initiated a criminal investigation on Sarbu in a file related to illegal restitution that left Romsilva without 44,000 hectares of forests. In 2018, DNA dropped the criminal investigations related to Sarbu’s involvement on grounds of insufficient evidence.

Minister Fechet explained the appointment of Ilie Sarbu to Romsilva in an interview for Europa Libera Romania, saying that Sarbu also served as minister of the environment in the past.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea)