Prosecutors from the Brasov National Anticorruption Department DNA ordered the start of criminal proceedings against Romanian Senator and former Justice Minister Tudor Chiuariu in an illegal forest retrocession case, reports local Mediafax. He is also placed under judiciary control for a period of 30 days, starting January 10.

Chiuariu is accused of influence peddling, money laundering and involvement in a criminal group, in a case related to the illegal retrocession of 43,000 hectares of forests.

He was supposed to receive EUR 2.5 million from Gheorghe Paltin Sturdza to intervene at public servants from the County Commission for the implementation of land laws within the Bacau County Prefecture, the forests authority Romsilva - Bacau Forestry Department and the Land Registration Office (OCPI) Bacau "in order to persuade them to either speed up or to fulfill improperly the work tasks related to enforcing a Covasna Court decision," reports Mediafax.

The decision was referring to the restoration of property rights for 43,227 hectares of forest land that belonged to former Ghica-Comanesti Domain, which Gheorghe Paltin Sturdza should have received.

Later on, the influence trading was dissimulated through a contract for legal assistance. According to this agreement, the amount of EUR 2 million was to be paid to Chiuariu as a fixed fee and EUR 500,000 as a success fee when delivering the property titles.

Former MPs Viorel Hrebenciuc and Ioan Adam were two of the politicians arrested in this case. The chief prosecutor of the organised crime and anti-terrorism directorate DIICOT, Alina Bica, was also arrested in another case, which is connected to this one.

Former Romanian deputy arrested in illegal restitutions case.

Romanian politician’s son, arrested for attempted illegal forest restitution.

Romanian Organized Crime Chief Prosecutor arrested for corruption.

Romania’s biggest corruption cases in 2014.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com