Adrian Nastase

Romania's former PM to face criminal proceedings

Romania's National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) has asked the Romanian president to require criminal proceedings against the former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, the DNA announced on Tuesday in a release.

According to the release, the DNA chief prosecutor has asked Romanian President Traian Basescu to require the criminal proceedings against Adrian Nastase for taking bribery and influence peddling.

Adrian Nastase, 57 year-old, was the prime minister of Romania from December 2000 to December 2004. He competed as the Social Democratic Party (PSD) candidate in the 2004 presidential election, but was defeated by centre-right candidate Traian Basescu. He was the speaker of the lower chamber of parliament from December 21, 2004 until 15 March 2006, when he resigned due to corruption charges.

As early as in 1998, Nastase bought for a very low price a 700 mp lot in a posh neighborhood of Bucharest, from a controversial businessman. He built on this land a luxury apartment building. Initially, an inquiry by the DNA Prosecutor's Office failed to bring charges. In November 2005, the case was reopened and in February 2006 Nastase was officially charged with taking a bribe and with trafficking influence.

As a result of this charge, Nastase lost a vote of confidence among his party's leadership and was forced to resign on March 15, 2006 as speaker of the lower chamber of parliament and as executive president of the PSD.