Romania’s High Court ICCJ ruled in favour of the prosecutors’ request to arrest former finance minister Darius Valcov and Constanta mayor Radu Mazare, currently investigated in large corruption cases.

The court had initially decided to place Darius Valcov under home arrest, on March 26, but the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) appealed the decision. The former finance minister will spend the next 23 days in police custody.

DNA prosecutors held Valcov on March 25 on charges of influence peddling during his mandate as mayor of Slatina, a city in southern Romania. Valcov allegedly received EUR 2 million from a Romanian businessman to help him win public contracts.

The prosecutors found more than 100 paintings allegedly belonging to Valcov, as well as three gold bars and cash, after several searches. Some of the paintings were signed by famous international painters such as Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Jean Cocteau.

Valcov apparently turned another 47 paintings to the authorities and asked the prosecutors for a deal in which he would admit his guilt, according to judicial sources quoted by Mediafax. DNA refused the deal.

Constanta’s mayor Radu Mazare is also under investigation for an alleged EUR 9 million bribe. The DNA prosecutors held him on March 16, but the court released him.

editor@romania-insider.com