The deputy chief of Romania’s intelligence service, Florian
Coldea, was suspended from his job yesterday (12 January) over alleged links
with a fugitive media boss who is embroiled in several criminal cases.
“Following information published in the media concerning Mr
Coldea, a special commission of inquiry has been set up to identify possible
violations of the law or the professional ethical code,” the SRI intelligence
service said in a statement.
Coldea was drawn into the scandal several days ago over Sebastian Ghiță, the
head of a private television station and a former Social Democrat lawmaker, who
is being criminally investigated for corruption, fraud and tax evasion and has
been on the run since 19 December.
In videos that have been released steadily by television
stations over recent days, Ghiță accuses Coldea and the head of Romania’s
high-profile DNA anti-corruption agency, Laura Codruța Kövesi, of “making up
cases” against several officials and media executives.
In the most recent video broadcast Wednesday, Ghiță also
said he had spent holidays with Coldea abroad – notably in the Seychelles – and
that he had “found the bills” for these trips bearing their two names. He did
not say whether Coldea had paid for the holidays.
The SRI said the probe would investigate the “allegations
made publicly against Mr Coldea and documents provided by him” in his defence.
Anti-corruption chief Kövesi has rejected the charges
against her, saying she has made several complaints to broadcasting authorities
for “defamatory comments and lies”.
Her agency has spearheaded a massive anti-corruption drive
against the political classes in Romania and faces regular criticism from
individuals targeted by its investigations, complaining that they are
politically motivated.
Source:www.euractiv.com
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