Ion Alexandru-Simu, the acting general manager of Romania's railway operator CFR SA, and technical deputy general manager Petru Ceșa have been indicted by anticorruption prosecutors for acts of corruption. According to DNA, Simu is being investigated for instigation to abuse of office and instigation to usurpation of office, while Ceșa is accused of abuse of office and usurpation of office.

The anticorruption directorate DNA said that Petru Ceșa, at the instigation of the other suspect, assumed the duties of general director of CNCF CFR SA, although he did not hold this position or a power of attorney in this regard, and issued two decisions, with the second appointing Simu-Alexandru Ion to head the Timișoara Regional Railway Branch. This allegedly happened in April 2022, and the prosecutors believe the two decisions were issued to ensure Simu's stability in a management position at the regional level once he would no longer be the interim general director of CFR SA.

One of those decisions appeared in the public space, and Petru Ceșa, again at the instigation of the other suspect, issued two other decisions by which a subordinate suspected of giving the respective document to the media had her employment contract terminated for disciplinary reasons. He allegedly did this in violation of the provisions of the Labor Code, reasoning that "the employee failed to prove her innocence."

"By acting in this manner, the two managers aimed to set an example to the other employees so that in the future, the suspects will no longer be exposed to the "risk" that the public, through the media, will know different illegal/legal aspects of CNCF CFR SA's management act," DNA said.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

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