Jail for ex-premier
January 31, 2012
Romania's highest court on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase to two years in prison on charges of corruption.
The ex-premier was convicted of illegally raising 1.7 million euros ($2.2 million) in funds for a failed presidential campaign in 2004.
Nastase, who was not in court when the verdict was announced, told the broadcaster Realitatea TV that he would exercise his right of appeal.
He said that the evidence submitted to court showed he was innocent and added that his case was "politically motivated." The verdict "is clearly the result of pressure exerted upon the judges," Nastase said.
Prosecutors said companies and state agencies were made to pay fees to attend a conference in 2004. It was alleged that the money was used to pay for Nastase's run for the presidency.
House-building allegations
Nastase, cleared in another corruption case last month, is facing a third trial over allegations he arranged to have a luxury home built in return for giving the head of the construction firm a ministerial appointment.
After Greece and Bulgaria, Romania is the third most corrupt country in the EU, according to corruption watchdog Transparency International. The country has been under pressure from Brussels to crack down on the problem.
In December, the Liberal Party politician Virgil Pop was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of using his influence to award public contracts to a private firm in the city of Cluj.
In the same month, pro-government lawmaker Serban Mihailescu was given a suspended one-year jail sentence for bribery.
Author: Richard Connor (AP, AFP, Reuters)Editor: Andrew Bowen