The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) announced on May 8 that it sent Teodosie Petrescu, the Archbishop of Tomis, to trial for influence buying. In the same case, an advisor within the Archdiocese of Tomis is investigated for complicity in buying influence.

Archbishop Teodosie is one of the most influential representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church. 

The case was sent to the Court of Appeal Constanța for trial.

DNA prosecutors allege that in July 2023, the Archbishop of Tomis promised RON 160,000 to a local businessman (a witness in the case), which represented 20% of the RON 800,000 the businessman promised to obtain for the Archdiocese of Tomis "by making use of the influence he claimed to have had on the officials with decision-making rights within the State Secretariat for Religions."

The amount of RON 800,000 was supposed to be used to finance some construction works or rehabilitation of the worship units under the Tomis Archdiocese.

The prosecutors say the advisor told the businessman that he would get the promised RON 160,000 through a fictitious consultancy contract between the Archdiocese of Tomis and the witness's company.

Local publication Recorder published last November a video investigation in which a former priest, who is also a businessman, filmed with a hidden camera the negotiations with several church parties, including Archbishop Teodosie, regarding the granting of "commissions" of 20% from sums given from the state budget for churches.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)