Romanian National Radio Probed Over Illegal Contracts

Police from Romania's Economic Crime Directorate and prosecutors carried out searches at Romanian Public Radio headquarters on Thursday.

The investigation was directed at several member of the administrative board of the state-owned broadcaster, suspected of abuse of office as well as conflicts of interest.

Official sources in the Bucharest prosecutor's office said the investigation concerned contracts allegdly awarded to companies controlled by members of the administrative board through close relatives. The estimated damages were worth approximately 90,000 euros.

Judicial sources also said that prosecutors searched the offices of a tourism agency in Bucharest as part of the same investigation and that 11 warrants for questioning had been issued.

National Public Radio confirmed the searches, but did not want to make any other statements.

The management of the station has been accused of abuse of office by several current and former employees over the past few years.

At the end of 2015, the manager of the Timisoara regional station in western Romania sent a few letters to parliament, the Prime Minister's office and Presidency, alleging illegal contracts and abuse of office.

Among other things, it mentioned undue salary hikes and the firing of several "uncomfortable" employees.

Some of these ex-staff went to court and won the right to be rehired. The institution had to pay a year's salaries to all the fired personnel.

In August, the administrative board was also accused of paying unjustified amounts of money, around 100,000 euros, for 15 musical instruments acquired through the public procurement system.

During an audit in September 2016, the Court of Accounts also reported...