ROMANIA’S POLICE chief and a senior interior ministry official have been sacked over corruption scandals that have increased pressure on the government to root out graft and crush organised crime.
The European Union has repeatedly criticised Romania and neighbouring Bulgaria for not doing enough to combat crime and corruption since they joined the bloc in 2007, and failure to improve their record could hamper their bid to join the bloc’s “borderless” Schengen zone next year.
President Traian Basescu approved the dismissal of police chief Petre Toba for his failure to sever allegedly close links between the police force in the northern city of Piatra Neamt and local criminals.
Mr Basescu also sanctioned the removal of Dan Fatuloiu, a state secretary at the interior ministry, for allegedly accepting a bribe from an influential businessman who wanted several legal cases resolved in his favour.
The businessman was arrested at the weekend after allegedly offering €50,000 to Mr Fatuloiu at the interior ministry building.
However, Romanian media report that the official had also been offered two houses and two cars, bringing the total value of the bribe to about €1 million.
“What has happened recently has negatively affected Romanians’ trust in the interior ministry, and those who are guilty will have to pay.
“I came to this ministry to set things in order, not to stay idle,” said interior minister Traian Igas, who has been in office since September.
Mr Basescu said: “What made the most unpleasant impression was the attitude of senior policemen (in Piatra Neamt) who threatened to resign unless the police chief remained in office.
“I want to tell them publicly to go ahead and resign,” he said on national television.
Romania is under growing pressure from Brussels to crack down harder on crime and corruption, and is seeking to improve its image to avoid a possible suspension of EU aid and to receive final approval for its bid to join the Schengen area with Bulgaria next March.
