National Anti-corruption Directorate

Romanian anti-graft prosecutors froze the assets and accounts of nine people on Tuesday.Among them was ruling Social Democrat Party, PSD, chief Liviu Dragnea, who has been under lengthy investigation for fraud involving EU funds by the European Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF.

Romania's ruling Social Democrat Party chief Liviu Dragnea was called in for questioning on Monday by anti-graft prosecutors at the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, DNA.

Prosecutors say Dragnea is a suspect in an investigation into fraud involving European Union funds when he was acting head of Teleorman County Council.  

Romania's ruling Social Democrat-led coalition on Friday approved a cabinet reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Mihai Tudose after days of tense negotiations.

Romania's ruling Social Democrat Party is in turmoil after the country's powerful National Anti-corruption Directorate, the DNA, said it was prosecuting two ministers for influence peddling in a case connected also to the party's leader, Liviu Dragnea.

In Bucharest and other cities in Romania, people protest due to dissatisfaction with the announced package of proposals for changes in the judicial system, the BNR reported.

Romania's ruling Social Democrat Party, PSD, and its junior ally, the Alliance of the Liberals and Democrats, ALDE, passed a no-confidence vote against their own government on Wednesday, after a week of turmoil triggered by the refusal of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu to resign.  

Romania's main opposition centre-right National Liberal Party, PNL, is set to elect a new leader on Saturday, as the ruling Social Democrats face their worst crisis in years, with the party leader entrenched in a power struggle with the Prime Minister.

Romania's former development minister Elena Udrea, the daughter of former president Traian Basescu, Ioana, and other officials and heads of state-owned companies will stand trial for the illegal funding of the presidential electoral campaign in 2009.

Money reclaimed by a specialist agency in Roamnia from convicted officials is already being channelled to government projects related to civic education, crime prevention and victim protection, it has been announced.

The government says it aims to recover over half a billion euros from former officials and businessmen sentenced for graft-related crimes.

Laura Kovesi is to participate in a conference on Romania's experience in fighting corruption on the invitation of the President of Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassation, Lozan Panov, a spokesperson of the court told BIRN on Wednesday.