Prosecutors from the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) have decided to send former energy minister and current MP Constantin Nita to trial for influence peddling. Nita has been placed under judicial control on bail and the prosecutors have seized some of his assets.

Back in 2013, Nita allegedly told a businessman that he would use his influence to help him win a contract with a local municipality in exchange for 5% of the contract’s value, according to DNA. The money got to Nita in two ways: in cash and through a fictitious consultancy contract that was to be signed by a trusted person from the energy minister’s entourage.

Thus, in July 2013, Constantin Nita received EUR 30,000 from the businessman, in a Lebanese restaurant in Bucharest, according to the prosecutors. Then, based on the fictitious consultancy contract, Nita got another RON 303,000 (some EUR 68,000). He used most of the money to finance various expenses of his party's county organization. At that time, Nita was head of PSD Brasov.

The prosecutors haven't mentioned who were the businessman who paid Nita and the municipality where he intervened for the contract.

The case will be tried by the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

Constantin Nita was placed under judicial control on bail at the end of April this year.

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