Romanian Customs Authority Head Fired Amid Corruption Scandal

Government spokeswoman Ioana Muntean said the decision was made after a talk with tax authority head Sorin Blejnar.

Marginean was heard by anticorruption prosecutors Wednesday in a case of influence peddling at the Halmeu customs, northwestern Romania.

Businessmen Liviu Florian and Ion Savu and Ioan Romeo Nitu, former employee of a duty-free shop, also investigated in the case, were placed under arrest Friday evening.

Florian is accused that, in September 2009, he took bribe (EUR130,000) from Nicoleta Dobrescu, whom he promised he would intervene with the National Customs Authority head to appoint her Halmeu customs office inspector. The EUR130,000 were paid in several tranches through Savu.

Prosecutors said Nitu helped Dobrescu get the money from usurers or cigarette traffickers.

Dobrescu was appointed Halmeu customs office head on September 23, 2009 and held this position until February 24, 2010. She was heard by prosecutors on January 26 in Satu Mare.