Romanian prosecutors arrested former secretary of state Adrian Sanda, the head of the secretariat for recognizing the merits of the fighters against the communist regime, in a case that targets the illegal granting of revolutionary certificates.

These certificates, which have been awarded after 1990 to the people who actively took part in the December 1989 Revolution that marked the fall of communism, allow their holders to receive a monthly allowance from the state.

Investigators from the General Prosecutor’s Office carried out several searches on Wednesday, including at the secretariat for recognising the merits of the fighters against communism. The searches were made in a case targeting offences of abuse of office, influence peddling, buying influence, and false documents under private signature. Following these actions, the prosecutors took Adrian Sanda in for questioning.

Later the same day, the prosecutors decided to hold Adrian Sanda and six other people for 24 hours, reports local News.ro. All seven could be placed under preventive arrest for 30 days if the Court makes a ruling in this sense.

Prosecutors say that most of the over 3,500 people who have received so far the "fighter with a decisive role in the Revolution" title didn’t meet the conditions required by law. Most of the certified "revolutionaries" apparently bought their titles by "offering certain amounts of money to people who had influence over members of the two state institutions".

Soon after the prosecutors started the searches and Adrian Sanda’s name appeared in the case, Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos took the decision to dismiss him from the position of State Secretary.

"Mr. Adrian Sanda was sacked. The Prime Minister today signed his dismissal for integrity problems, which are incompatible with any office in this cabinet," Government spokesman Liviu Iolu announced on Wednesday.

Former Prime Minister Victor Ponta had appointed Adrian Sanda in this position in 2014.

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