Romanian Finance Minister Darius Vâlcov resigned yesterday (15 March), after prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into suspected abuses of power in his former role as a mayor.
Vâlcov is the most senior sitting Romanian politician to resign because of corruption allegations, amid a flurry of high-level investigations and graft trials over the past two years. He has denied taking a bribe.
Romania is seen as one of the European Union's most corrupt states but its prosecutors and magistrates have won praise from Brussels for crackdowns that have seen many members of parliament face trial.
Prosecutors said on Friday they had opened a criminal investigation against Vâlcov on suspicion he favoured a company for a public works contract in exchange for about €2 million during 2010-2013 when he was a mayor.
"I spoke with Darius Vâlcov today at lunch and he handed me his resignation," left-wing Prime Minister Victor Ponta told television station Romania TV. Ponta said he had accepted the resignation but gave no further details as to why Vâlcov had quit.
Neither Vâlcov nor ministry officials were immediately available for comment.
Ponta said he would propose a replacement after Vâlcov finalised a new fiscal code in the coming days to cut taxes and presented it to the government for approval "because it is important for Romania to have this project".
Ponta and Vâlcov announced plans in February to cut all major taxes between 2016 and 2019, a move analysts said could take an unsustainable toll on the budget.
A former two-term mayor turned senator in parliament, Vâlcov took over as finance minister in December in a cabinet reshuffle following Ponta's defeat in the 2014 presidential election. He had previously been the budget minister, a portfolio that was merged with the finance ministry post in the reshuffle.
President Klaus Iohannis asked Ponta earlier on Sunday to start the process of replacing Vâlcov, saying he was "affecting the activity and credibility of the government".
The investigation is another blow to Ponta, after he was surprisingly defeated in November's presidential election. Ponta’s father-in-law and brother-in-law are under criminal investigations in separate cases.
His ruling Social Democrats have a party congress this month where his leadership may be challenged, while opposition centre-right politicians have said they aim to file a no confidence vote against him in parliament this year. The next parliamentary election is due at the end of 2016.
Fewer than three out of four Romanians have a good opinion about the introduction of voluntary military service, a ratio slightly lower compared to a decade ago in 2015, the percentage being now lower among the AUR and PSD electorate, according to an ISCOP Research survey published on September 17 in the context of Russia […]
Romanian president Nicusor Dan informed the Parliament that he approved a request by the United States to bring additional forces to Mihail Kogalnicanu base at the Black Sea, in light of the rising tensions in the Middle East, according to
In a couple of meetings expected to generate a breakthrough on four key topics on September 17, Romania's ruling coalition deferred a final decision on the local administration staff cutting and the prolongation of the food price capping mechanism, according to Observatornews.ro....
Hungary's state company MVM responded to rumours, saying it has not abandoned plans to take over E.ON's Romanian subsidiary – but it only "temporarily withdrew from the FSR mechanism" because the approval of the investment by the Romanian authorities takes more than expected and the company needs to "balance its costs and resources," according to
The United States has approved a USD 130 million grant to finance the construction of a high-voltage power line linking Moldova to Romania, a project officials said would strengthen the country’s energy security and deepen ties with Washington. The 190 km Strășeni–Gutinaș line will connect Moldova to the European electricity grid. It will complement the […]
It’s a busy weekend in Bucharest, as the city gears up for its annual celebration, film and theater festivals bring the latest productions, and new exhibitions are opening.
