Romanian politician Viorel Hrebenciuc, one of the most influential leaders of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), announced his resignation from the Deputies Chamber, amid accusations of influence peddling and corruption.

Hrebenciuc said he won’t resign from PSD and that he will return in the Parliament at the next elections, in 2016, according to Mediafax.

Viorel Hrebenciuc, 61, has been a member of the Parliament for 18 years and he has served as vice president of the Deputies Chamber and up until now he was leader of the PSD political group, the largest in the Deputies Chamber. During his five terms in the Parliament he often acted as “whip”, or the man who pulled the strings and convinced his colleagues to support or to reject various new laws and regulations.

Hrebenciuc resigned after the National Anticorruption Directorate asked the Deputies Chamber to waive his immunity and to let him be prosecuted and arrested in a corruption and influence peddling case related to illegal forest restitutions, at the end of last week.

On Monday, DNA announced two new cases against Hrebenciuc.

editor@romania-insider.com