Former speaker of Romania's Chamber of Deputies indicted for influence peddling

Romanian politician Valeriu Zgonea, the former Chamber of Deputies speaker, was sent to court for influence peddling. The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) indicted him for allegedly receiving over RON 62,000 (EUR 13,300) from a county councilor in Buzau to help hire a relative of his in an important position. This happened between July 2012 and April 2013, when Zgonea was president of the Chamber of Deputies. The politician used his influence over public officials and as a result of his actions, the councilor’s relative was appointed in a management position within the Communications Ministry, although that person didn’t have the necessary training for the job. Later, the person was promoted to undersecretary of state within the same ministry, after another intervention from Zgonea. Valeriu Zgonea was one of the Social Democratic Party’s most influential leaders during Victor Ponta’s mandate as prime minister and party leader. He was president of the Chamber of Deputies from July 2012 until June 2016. After Ponta withdrew from the party’s helm, in 2015, Zgonea was seen as one of his possible substitutes, but he lost to Liviu Dragnea and was later excluded from the party. editor@romania-insider.com