Radio România Internațional

Tag: criminal investigations

  • Anticorruption annual report

    Anticorruption annual report

    5,400 anticorruption investigations were closed and nearly 260 people holding management positions were prosecuted in Romania last year, according to the activity report presented by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA). It was one of the Directorate’s best years, says the head of the institution, Marius Voineag, with numerous achievements and a generally positive trend, confirmed by the evolution of statistical, quantitative and qualitative indicators and especially by the increase in the diversity of the type of evidence administered and the significant decrease in the degree of acquittals. The anticorruption chief prosecutor says the institution he leads has technical capabilities that rival those of Western institutions. Marius Voineag also announced he intends to continue to prioritize cases where a lot of money is at stake, due to high temptations and the significant impact such cases have on society. “You won’t get away with the money”, Marius Voineag told those who violate the law.

     

    “At the end of last year, the balance of assets effectively frozen amounted to over €56 million. Over the course of 2024, precautionary measures were ordered in the amount of €47 million, reflecting our constant concern for the recovery of criminal proceeds generated by corruption or similar crimes. The intensification of our activity in terms of recovering the proceeds of crime is intended to send a message to all those who are tempted to commit corruption or similar abuses, in the sense that no one should ever be able to keep the money”.

     

    Attending the official presentation of the Directorate’s yearly activity report, Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu spoke about the global phenomenon of corruption, which has gained momentum, despite efforts to stop it, both in Romania and at global level. Regarding the recovery of crime-derived proceeds, the Romanian official believes Romania is far from an ideal position, and that there is a need for better institutional and international cooperation, the adaptation of tactics and the specialization of police officers and prosecutors.

     

    “There has been talk for years about recovering the proceeds of crime. Great efforts have been made in this regard in recent times. Progress has been made, we have the relevant institutions, the culture has changed too, it is very true. But I think we are, however, far from the ideal goal of not letting anyone keep the money. The truth is that many people are left with a lot of money, as we well know. So, there is room for improvement in this direction of recovering the proceeds of crime. Of course, it remains to be seen whether we also need to improve the legislative framework, whether it is a matter of tactics or method. At any rate, we all know it is very difficult, on the other hand, to recover absolutely all the proceeds of crime. That’s virtually impossible and I think that no country in the world manages to accomplish that”.

     

    Cătălin Predoiu also emphasized that combating corruption must remain a top priority, and the institutions involved in the process should continue to show good results. (VP)

  • August 15, 2018

    August 15, 2018


    PROTESTS – Hundreds protested on Tuesday in Bucharest for the fifth day in a row against the Government. The Military Prosecutors Department with the Prosecutor Generals Office has taken over the investigation into the events on August 10. Tuesday the last protesters who were injured in the August 10 protest in Bucharest filed criminal investigations. So far 100 people have filed complaints. Military prosecutors meanwhile continue to investigate the forceful intervention of the riot police and are now looking into possible charges of abuse of office and actionable negligence. The interim head of the Romanian Gendarme Service, Colonel Sebastian Cucos, whose mandate has expired, was replaced by Colonel Catalin Sindile, the former Deputy General Inspector of the Romanian Gendarme Service.



    ACCIDENT – Two Romanian citizens were killed in Tuesdays collapse of a motorway bridge close to Genoa, reads a Foreign Ministry release. Operations to extract the victims from the rubble are ongoing. A mobile consular team is on scene. The provisional toll shows 38 died and 16 were wounded, of whom 12 in critical condition. Some 35 vehicles and 3 trucks were crossing the motorway as Morandi Bridge collapsed. The bridge linked the city to the main airport in Liguria. Some 250 firefighters and scores of search and rescue teams continue to look for survivors. All households in the area have been evacuated. 400 people were relocated by the Italian Civil Protection service. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also visited the crash site, ensuring citizens the whole road infrastructure in Italy will be inspected to prevent such tragedies from happening.



    FEAST DAY – Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians in Romania on Wednesday celebrated the Assumption of Mary, the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life. Churches and monasteries in Romania held special services on this occasion while thousands of Christians went on pilgrimage. A mini-holiday has been instated by the state on this occasion and scores of Romanians are on the Romanian Black Seacoast, as well as in mountain and spa resorts. Some 2.2 million Romanians celebrated their name day on Wednesday.



    NAVY DAY – August 15 is also Romanian Navy Day, as Saint Mary is also the patron saint of sailors. This year ceremonies were held in Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Tulcea, Braila, Bucuresti and Cernavoda on this occasion. Attending the events were thousands of navy military, scores of warships and numerous aircraft. The largest naval show was held in Constanta, the largest Romanian port on the Black Sea. The guard of honor and brigades of Romanian military, alongside peers from Great Britain, the United States and Ukraine paraded on the waterfront before the fleet command. Attending the ceremonies, President Klaus Iohannis said Romania cannot truly be a powerful player in the region without a powerful army, which should include a well-equipped, well-trained and modern navy, capable to successfully withstand any challenge. The President went on to say that, as a sign of appreciation for the activity and special achievements of the Naval Forces, he has decorated the war flag of the Romanian Naval Forces with the Maritime Virtue Order in rank of Officer, as a sign of military peace. Defense Minister Mihai Fifor told the navy military that their responsibilities are key to securing the eastern flank of NATO and the EU. Fifor recalled that 2018, the year marking 100 years since the Great Union, will be a landmark for the military navy by means of the modernization program carried out to strengthen the immediate response capacity of the Romanian Naval Forces and to consolidate Romanias position in the Black Sea region.



    TENNIS – Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, world no. 1 and seeded first in the Cincinnati tournament, is tomorrow playing Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia, 58 WTA, in the second round. Halep is the only Romanian left at Cincinnati, a tournament with over 2.8 million dollars up for grabs. This will be the third match Tomljanovic is playing a Romanian in the womens singles, as she ousted Sorana Cirstea in the qualifying round and Irina Begu in the first round. In the doubles competition, the pair made up of Raluca Olaru and Vera Zvonareva of Russia lost to Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, the first-seeded pair. Also Irina Begu and Monica Niculescu lost to Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria of the United States.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)




  • August 13, 2018 UPDATE

    August 13, 2018 UPDATE

    PROTESTS – In Romania, military prosecutors called on people who
    protested on Friday in Bucharest to come forward if they have been injured or
    can provide important information. Dozens of people have filed complaints over
    the last two days against the gendarmes after being injured in the protests. Forensic
    medical reports have been issued for scores of people, including gendarmes. At
    the same time, the two individuals who assaulted a female gendarme and her
    colleague have been arrested. As a result of the violence that ensued on Friday
    at the protests against the government, around 500 people needed medical care,
    and 70 were hospitalized, including 11 gendarmes. The Romania 100 platform filed
    a request with the prosecutors with the High Court of Cassation and Justice to
    indict Bucharest Prefect Speranta Cliseru and Interior Minister Carmen Dan as a
    result of the extreme violence perpetrated on the night of August 10 to 11.




    MESSAGE – Romania is undergoing a period of
    turbulence due to the violent protests, President Klaus Iohannis said on Monday,
    referring to last Friday’s violent anti-Government protests. The president said
    the violent repression of protests is unacceptable, pointing out that those
    responsible must be identified and brought to justice. President Iohannis also
    condemned the actions of people who attacked the riot police, stating that no
    one is yet being held accountable for the violent acts of August 10, adding
    that at least one person should have stepped down by now. Romania is a balanced
    and respected country, but the Government is doing everything in its power to
    destroy this image, the President went on to say. Polls show that 80% of
    Romanians believe Romania is headed in the wrong direction, Klaus Iohannis
    argued. In turn, the Social-Democratic Party wrote in a press release that the
    President encouraged the anti-Government protests, calling on Klaus Iohannis to
    display responsibility and act like a President should, to help consolidate
    democratic rights and values and the rule of law.




    JUSTICE – European Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova calls on
    the government in Bucharest to reconsider their recent changes in the judicial
    system, according to the DPA news agency, quoting an interview by the German
    publication Die Welt. The European official said that the new version of the
    laws threatens the independence of judges, limits the authority of prosecutors,
    and undermines confidence in the judicial system. Commissioner Jourova said it
    would be useful for the government in Bucharest to reconsider their plans. DPA
    mentions that the judicial reform in Romania has sparked protests. According to
    the source, the organizers of these protests claim that the laws favor corrupt
    politicians, as they decriminalize abuse in office.




    SUMMIT – Romania is ready to organize
    the informal summit of EU heads of state and Government on May 9, 2019 in
    Sibiu, central Romania, the Foreign Ministry reports. On Monday, Sibiu hosted a
    working meeting to prepare next year’s summit as part of Romania’s mandate at
    the helm of the European Council. Attending were representatives of the presidency
    and local authorities. Devoted to the future of the EU and the upcoming
    strategic agenda for the 2019-2024 period, the Summit will bring together 27
    heads of state and government of member states, 36 official delegations, 400
    high-ranking officials, some 900 journalists and 100 interpreters.




    NAVY- The Romanian Naval Forces on August 14 will pay homage to the
    heroes and soldiers who made history in the naval battles that helped preserve
    the independence and sovereignty of the country, the Defense Ministry reports.
    Romanian military will attend a special ceremony at the Sailors’ Monument in
    Constanta. Wednesday, August 15, is Navy Day, which will be marked by a big
    naval show held in Constanta and Mangalia. 2018 marks 116 years since the
    Military Navy was founded.




    VISIT – A delegation of the National Guard of the State of Alabama,
    led by Major-General Sheryl Gordon, is paying an official visit to Romania over
    August 13-16. The American delegation will attend the conference entitled 25
    Years of State Partnership Program, organized by the Carol I National
    Defense University in Bucharest. The agenda also includes visits to the Mihail
    Kogalniceanu airbase, to the military port in Tulcea, and the Constanta
    barracks, where they will meet with Chief of General Staff Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca
    to attend ceremonies marking Navy Day. Cooperation between the Romanian Army
    and the National Guard of the State of Alabama has been ongoing for the past 25
    years, as part of the State Partnership Program.




    THEATRE – Stage director Silvu Purcarete’s
    latest show, The Story of an Ill-reputed Princess, has been selected for the
    opening of the Cultural and Olympic Games in 2020 in Tokyo, the spokesperson of
    the Radu Stanca National Theatre in Sibiu has announced. The show is based on
    an original script written by Silviu Purcarete, grounded on a kabuki play. It
    will premiere in June.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)