DNA takes note ex officio regarding other aspects of Rise Project journalistic investigation

Prosecutors of the National Aticorruption Directorate (DNA) also took note ex officio of other aspects regarding the Rise Project investigation, because there are pieces of evidence on committing several crimes assimilated to corruption.

"On 10 July 2017, anticorruption prosecutors took note ex officio regarding other aspects included in the journalistic investigation, that was published on 6 July 2017 (others than the ones mentioned in the release no. 690/VIII/3/ 7 July 2017), because of some evidence on committing several crimes assimilated to corruption. Currently the criminal prosecution has begun only related to the action (in rem). This stage does not imply formulating charges against one person, but it has the significance of establishing a procedural framework in which the first evidence can be gathered regarding a certain action," the Information and Public Relations Bureau of the DNA mentions in a reply sent to Agepres.

On 7 June 2017, the DNA confirmed having a in rem criminal case in the working, for committing several corruption offenses and assimilated to corruption, in connection to a part of the Rise Project disclosures, within the investigation pieces of information having been requested from authorities in Brazil.

"A part of the aspects included in the journalistic investigation, that was published on 6 July 2017, are the subject of a DNA ongoing criminal case. In this case, established by taking note ex officio, prosecutors have decided, as of 19 February 2016, to start criminal prosecution in rem, for committing some offenses of corruption and assimilated to corruption. After the criminal prosecution in rem started, the evidence gathered consisted in hearing the witnesses, removing documents, requesting information from the national and Brazilian authorities," the DNA mentions..

On 6 July, the Rise Project published a report allegedly belonging to the Intelligence and Internal Protection Department (DGIPI), called " Note regarding aspects that affect the social- economic climate of Teleorman County," that describes a criminal network made up of some decision-making bodies of the county," through whom leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea, former President of Teleorman County Council, would have embezzled European and governmental funds. In the note attributed to the DGIPI, Liviu Dragnea is currently "the major shareholderofthebearersharesof SCTelDrumSA."

According to the Rise Project, the Tel Drum company would have been fraudulently taken over by Liviu Dragnea from the state, and, for more than a decade, he granted himself through fake tenders the majority of the contracts for the Teleorman County public asphalting.