Former minister Banicioiu, charged; lien placed on his personal property

 

According to a press statement released by DNA, as a result of fulfilling the legal and constitutional requirements regarding the criminal investigation of persons who held a ministerial position at the time of crime, that is getting permission from the Chamber of Deputies, the prosecutors ordered the criminal investigation of Nicolae Banicioiu, a lawmaker at the time of crime holding a ministerial position, for over influence peddling and repeat bribe-taking.

 

According to DNA, while holding the office of the minister of youth and sports, Banicioiu would have accepted the promise of two business people and, subsequently, would have received from one of them 1,292,122 lei, representing dividends for the year 2003 distributed by the companies controlled by the two businessmen, in exchange for the influence he hinted to have over the minister of health and civil servants of the Health Ministry in order to determine them to conduct or refrain from conducting their official duties.

 

The money would have been given in exchange for the appointment or retention of some people in the position of manager at public hospitals operating under the authority of the Ministry of Health and conducting business with the companies controlled by the two businessmen or following public procurement procedures, as well as the allocation of sums of money to health facilities where the companies had ongoing business contracts.

 

DNA alleges that Banicioiu was aided and abetted by another person, a suspect in the same case.