Former minister of Public Finances, Daniel Chitoiu, facing prosecution

The National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) has officially requested to be given permission to start prosecuting Daniel Chitoiu, former minister of Public Finance, for his involvement in the “Carpatica” file. DNA is accusing Chitoiu of abusing his office and constituting a criminal group while he served as Minister of Finances.

The DNA report sent to the Attorney General shows that during October 2013 Daniel Chitoiu initiated the process of adopting a new emergency ordinance with the purpose of supporting the criminal group established in favour of Carpatica Asig’s interests. Chitoiu worked in favor of the group without having any other reasonable motive for initiating the OUG and by acting outside of regular Government procedures.

“The actions undertaken were meant to remove Tudor Daniel Georghe from the Financial Surveillance Authority’s board (ASF) and replacing him with an individual that would, through fraudulent means, protect SC Carpatica Asig SA’s interests”, the DNA report shows.

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The evidence gathered by the DNA prosecutors also show that, while serving as minister of Finances, Chitoiu initiated the process of legally reducing the number of ASF board members and introducing new minimum standards for the necessary professional qualifications that assuming such a position would imply. Chitoiu introduced the standard of requiring at least 9 years of professional experience since graduating a form of superior education.

“This requirement hadn’t existed previously and it excluded Tudor Daniel George from eligibility, him being the only individual on the board that didn’t meet the standard”, the prosecutors show.

The DNA report also shows that ASF’s stance on the IMF and European Commission enforcing these requirements were false. The notion was introduced only to “convince Government officials “to approve the ordinance with urgency” although the “experience criteria were drafted arbitrarily”.