The Trophy of Qoality with Năstase for Prezident

“The Trophy of Quality” with Năstase for President
Money washing during Năstase’s election campaign financed by Romanians
In post-comunist Romania corruption has became endemic. It can be met at all the social levels. It manifests itself as naturally as eating or breathing and it repeats in each sequence of Romanians’ life from cradle to grave. Moreover, even after death when the relatives who continue to live and who have to procure a place in a cemetery can obtain it only by giving bribe. We are all guilty of this situation, especially the Romanian political class, beginning with the local councilors, continuing with chiefs of the public institutions and ending with ministers (six former ministers of two previous governments are under the investigation of DNA, a structure which deals with cases of corruption among politicians), former Prime Ministers (Adrian Năstase is now under investigation and Călin Popescu Tăriceanu may follow), Members of Parliament and even President Traian Băsescu who was accused not only of having sold the Romanian fleet while he was Minister of Transports but also for having illegally obtained a mansion in Mihăileanu Street, Bucharest, cases which were suspended due to the presidential immunity.
Ex-Prime Minister’s Năstase public money washing affair
For almost twenty years a certain rule has been followed by certain persons who break the law: they manage to get immunity from prosecution until the deeds are forgotten. Partly responsible for this situation is also the EU which accepted us although we hadn’t been prepared. On this background, the global crisis which adds to the other crisis Romania is going through (moral crisis, identity crisis, xenophobia, political radicalism) could cause Romania a 50 – 100 years regression to the past. Let us consider, for instance, ex-Prime Minister’s Năstase public money washing affair. Where would Romania be now provided that Năstase had won the elections in 2004 and became the President of Romania? But let us see, as follows, what happened. During the election campaign, in 2004, Adrian and Dana Năstase could be seen almost weekly in Argeş having photo sessions with ordinary people. Many people wondered why the two husbands were showing such an interest foe Argeş. They got an explanation a few years later when the scandal of money washing for Năstase’s presidential election campaign emerged. Everything was committed under the cover of an symposium named “The Trophy of Quality in Construction” for which the Ex-Prime Minister is now subject to investigation together with the former chief of the state’s Inspectorate for Construction Irina Jianu who was directly subordinated to Minister Miron Mitrea. “The Trophy of Quality in Construction” case was taken by the DNA only four years later and it is possible that Adrian Năstase will never be taken to the court.
Institutions, managers and companies involved in ex-Prime Minister’s money washing affair
“The Trophy of Quality in Construction” was the cover under which Adrian Năstase managed to collect the sum of 2 million Euros. Among the sponsors of Adrian Năstase’s election campaign in 2004 were scores of private companies and public institutions from Argeş among which we mention The Construction Inspectorate subordinated to the District Council, the Forests Department subordinated to the Prefect’ Office and Termoficare 2000 (district heating) whose main shareholders are Piteşti Town Hall and Local Council and at national level other ten territorial Construction Inspectorates and Romsilva managed by Ion Dumitru who obliged tens of district departments and forests departments to pay the participation charge. Not even the national companies could avoid paying the charge imposed by Năstase. Thus the Enerrgy Department Turceni, the National Companyfor Lignite Oltenia, Hidroelectrica, Distrigaz Sud şi Electrica Muntenia, companies that had nothing to do with the symposium “The Trophy of Quality in Construction” paid the charge for Năstase’s presidential campaign in 2004. This way, the sum of 67.5 billions leis was collected. The rest of the money up to 71,2 billion leis, amounting to 4,7 billion leis, was paid by the organizer of the symposium, respectively the Constructions Inspectorate, which is an institution directly subordinated to the Prime Minister’s Cabinet.
Billonnage (money laundry)
According to the DNA Prosecutors’ charge the 71.2 billions leis were not deposited in the Constructions Inspectorate’s account although this institution was the organizer of the symposium and the collector of the funds. The money was instead deposited in the bank account of Axa Management, a firm which belongs to Bogdan and Ioana Popovici, close friends to Dana and Adrian Năstase and in the bank accounts of another four firms (Urban Consult, Rond SRL Contur Media and Media Global Invest) controlled by the Popovici husbands. Axa Management and the other four companies were chosen by direct assigning to administrate the unfolding of the money washing under the cover of “Trophy of Quality”. 61.55 billions leis were deposited in the accounts of the five companies previously mentioned. The money remained but for a short time in the accounts of the respective companies. The sum of 53.2 billions rapidly transferred from the accounts of the five companies to the accounts of SC Eurografica, a company controlled by Mihai Vasile. The 53.2 billions should officially have been spent on promotional materials for the symposium( paper cases, posters, badges) and participants’ accommodation. But the materials were not bought and each participant paid for accommodation. According to the DNA prosecutors, the day before the symposium, Mihai Vasile, the owner of Eurografica transferred the money necessary for paying the expenses of the promoting materials with the slogan “Adrian Năstase- President”, destined for the presidential election campaign from 2004. Among the materials of electoral publicity with Năstase’s photograph and the slogan “Adrian Năstase- President” there were 400.000 notebooks. But Mihai Vasile faked the papers of dispatch to some clients of his firm, the respective clients declaring when inquired by the DNA that they never received the promotional materials with Adrian Năstase’s slogan.
Instead of conclusions
Romania’s ex-Prime Minister possesses four houses, countless shotguns which he got as bribes from the ex- chief of Prime Minister’s Cabinet Şerban Mihăilescu also known as “Miki Şpagă” (“Miki Bribe”). But he also has four dossiers at the DNA, a ministerial structure which fights against corruption and investigates cases of corruption among dignitaries and public high officials. The ex-Premier managed to elude justice four years due to the immunity conferred on him by the position of president of thr Chamber of Deputies and then by that of PSD deputy, claiming at any attempt to suspend his immunity that all his dossiers are contrived and labeling them as “political dossiers” made up at President Traian Băsesscu’s order. The fourth dossier which is under the DNA prosecutors’ investigation is precisely that which deals with public money washing for political purposes, aiming at acceding to the supreme position in a state, namely that of President. At that time Năstase was the president of Social Democrat Party , which by had governed Romania four years declaring itself through his leaders “the State-Party.
Ştefan Dumitru Afrimescu