The National Integrity Agency (ANI) announced on Monday that it had found a state of incompatibility, a conflict of interest of an administrative nature or had notified the criminal and fiscal prosecution bodies in the case of seven local elected officials.
According to a press release sent to AGERPRES, the Agency notified the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice regarding the existence of indications regarding the commission by Ionel Vatamanu, mayor of the city of Târgu Frumos, Iaşi County, of the crime of false declarations, as the mentions made in the asset declarations submitted between 2015 and 2017 regarding a loan contract concluded with a commercial company in 2014 and due in 2024 are inconsistent with his subsequent declarations regarding the respective loan.
Also, the National Integrity Agency notified the Regional General Directorate of Public Finances Iași – Tax Inspection of Legal Entities to conduct investigations specific to the tax inspection in order to establish the reality of transactions identified following the information resulting from the assessment of asset declarations regarding the possible existence of violations of tax legislation.
Nicolae Marius Manole, mayor of Aninoasa commune, Argeş county, and former county councilor within Argeş County Council, was also found to be incompatibilities.
The cited source shows that, during the period of exercising his mandates as county councilor (2016 – 2020 and 2020 – 2024), the commercial company in which his wife holds the status of sole associate and the position of sole administrator concluded, between June 25, 2019 and June 3, 2021, three medical service contracts and 4 addenda to them, totaling 16,352 lei, with institutions under the authority of Argeş County Council.
Ioan Eusebiu Butum, deputy mayor of Şercaia commune, Braşov county, was also found to be incompatibly.
„He is in a state of incompatibility starting with January 22, 2019, as he simultaneously exercises the position of deputy mayor and the capacity of a natural person trader within his own individual enterprise, thus violating the provisions of art. 87, paragraph (1), letter g) of Law no. 161/2003, in conjunction with the provisions of art. 23 of GEO no. 44/2008”, ANI specifies.
According to ANI, an administrative conflict of interest was found in the case of Ionuţ Stelian Simion, local councilor in Muntenii de Sus commune, Vaslui county.
„During the exercise of his mandate as a local councilor, although he had a personal interest in the issues under debate, he participated in the adoption of the CL Decision of June 27, 2019, which approved the allocation of the amount of 45,000 lei to the sports club in which the assessed person was registered since August 22, 2013. Thus, the assessed person violated the provisions of art. 70 and art. 77 of Law no. 161/2003, in conjunction with the provisions of art. 46, paragraph (1) of Law no. 215/2001 and with the provisions of art. 75, paragraph (1), letter b) and art. 77 of Law no. 393/2004 (normative act in force until July 4, 2019),” the Agency mentions.
An administrative conflict of interest was also found in the case of Dezsl Kutasi, local councilor in Neaua commune, Mureş county.
„During the exercise of his mandate as a local councilor (2016-2020), he voted for the adoption of the CL Neaua Decision of July 5, 2019 regarding the granting of a contribution in the amount of 4,500 lei (taking the floor during the debates in order to support the approval of the respective contribution) for an association in which he holds the position of project evaluator. The evaluated person thus violated the provisions of art. 228, paragraph (1), letters e) and f) of GEO no. 57/2019 in conjunction with the provisions of art. 70 of Law no. 161/2003,” ANI shows.
Paul Vlad Matei, local councilor of Hălchiu commune, Braşov county, was also found to be in an administrative conflict of interest.
„During the exercise of his mandate as a local councilor (2016-2020), he participated on May 10, 2019 in the deliberation and adoption of the Decision of the Local Council of Hălchiu commune, regarding the approval of the conclusion of lease contracts by direct assignment of pasture areas privately owned by the commune, for grazing animals, based on which on May 14, 2019, the lease contract was concluded between the association represented by the father of the evaluated person and the City Hall of Hălchiu commune,” indicates the cited source.
By renting the meadows, the Agency says, the association received subsidies from APIA – Braşov County Center in a total amount of 971,722 lei.
„The assessed person thus violated the provisions of art. 70 of Law 161/2003, in conjunction with the provisions of art. 46, paragraph (1) of Law no. 215/2001, art. 75, letter a) and art. 77 of Law 393/2004 (normative acts in force during the assessed period). The National Integrity Agency notified the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice regarding the existence of indications relating to the commission by Paul Vlad Matei of the crime of using his position to favor certain persons, provided for by art. 301 of the Criminal Code, since in the exercise of his duties as a local councilor, he made a decision that produced a patrimonial benefit for the association in which his father holds the quality of member and the position of president, evidence being the receipt by his father, based on the concluded rental contract, of subsidies paid by APIA – Braşov County Center”, informs the quoted source.
An administrative conflict of interest was also discovered in the case of Emil Feier, local councilor in Hodac commune, Mureş county.
Integrity inspectors say that, during his term as local councilor (2016-2020), he took part in issuing and adopting administrative acts that could produce material benefit for himself (founding member of a sheep breeders association) and his son (president of the association).
In his case too, the National Integrity Agency reports that it has notified the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice regarding the existence of indications relating to the commission of the crime of using one’s position to favor certain persons, provided for by art. 301 of the Criminal Code, since in exercising his duties as a local councilor, he took part in the issuance and adoption of administrative acts that produced a patrimonial benefit for the association of which he is a member together with his son, respectively the Association received subsidies from APIA – Mureş County Center in the total amount of 319,745.82 lei, recording a profit in the total amount of 14,574 lei.
„The evaluated persons were informed about the initiation of the evaluation procedure, the identified elements, as well as the rights they benefit from – to be assisted or represented by a lawyer and to present data or information they consider necessary, personally or by submitting a written point of view. Nicolae Marius Manole and Ionuţ Stelian Simion did not submit a point of view to the evaluation file, in exercising the right to defense,” ANI mentions.
