Romania’s anticorruption prosecutors have started an investigation on Brasov’s mayor George Scripcaru. The prosecutors raided Scripcaru’s home and his office at the Brasov City Hall, on Monday, June 29, according to judicial sources quoted by Agerpres. They also searched the headquarters of several firms in Brasov, including Bepco SRL, the company that supplies thermal energy in the city.

Update: The DNA decided to charge Scripcaru for abuse of office and bribery and held him for 24 hours, on Monday evening.

George Scripcaru is investigated for abuse of office. He allegedly helped the private energy company Bepco SRL in taking over some assets belonging to Brasov’s thermal power plant (CET) at undervalued prices and then granted the same company a 15-year contract to supply thermal energy to the city’s dwellers. His actions damaged the local budget by over EUR 1 million, according to judicial sources.

Bepco is one of the biggest energy companies owned by Romanian entrepreneurs. Its owners are Simina Costan and Calin Filimon Costan, the owners of the ICCO group of companies - one of Brasov’s biggest, and Mihai David, a former general manager of state-owned electricity producer Hidroelectrica, according to official data quoted by the Romanian media.

Bepco produces thermal energy and electricity using high-efficiency cogeneration. The company recently bought 11 gas engines from GE for EUR 34 million to upgrade its capacities. Bepco had a turnover of EUR 24.6 million and a net profit of EUR 1.3 million, in 2014.

George Scripcaru, 45, has been mayor of Brasov since 2004 and is currently serving his third term. He is a member of the National Liberal Party (PNL).

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editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Primaria Municipiului Brasov Facebook page, Photo by: Andrei Paul)