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Romanian Police Terminated Nine Car Purchase Contacts, Cut Spending By Over 60%

The Romanian General Police Department (IGPR) decided to terminate nine contracts on the purchase of police cruisers, which translates into an over 60% cut in spending, IGPR head, quaestor Petre Toba, said Wednesday, adding none of these contracts were unfolded and no payments were made so far.
Romanian Police Terminated Nine Car Purchase Contacts, Cut Spending By Over 60%
29 iul. 2009, 13:08, English

Toba said the contracts terminated targeted the lot of police vehicles needed to carry dogs, the lot of the 301 forensic labs "Dacia Logan," as well as the lot of police vehicles under the brands BMW 330, X3, Nissan Pathfinder, Honda CRV and Volkswagen Transporter.
 
He pointed out the police department will unfold only 19 contracts, which translates into 820 police vehicles, while 11 of contracts exclusively target the bodies fighting organized crime.
 
Furthermore, Toba said the Romanian police force needs premium and modern equipment in the fight against criminal offenders, stressing the contracts to be unfolded are meant to bring the operations of the Romanian police force in line with the operations unfolded by similar bodies in European Union states, in view of Romania’s accession to the Schengen area.
 
Anticorruption prosecutors launched a probe into the purchase of police vehicles on January 7, 2009, and subsequently ordered a technical-scientific report in this respect.
 
In turn, the National Authority Regulating and Monitoring Public Procurement said it would ask the court to annul the contracts on the purchase of special vehicles concluded in 2008 by the Romanian police.
 
Furthermore, on June 24, the Romanian Government decided to take legal action in a bid to cancel the contracts concluded, last year, between the Romanian Police and the company Ager Leasing for the purchase of police vehicles.
 
In 2008, the Romanian Police attributed to Ager Leasing 27 contracts worth an approximate total of 423.52 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2012), for the purchase of police vehicles.
 
For the 27 contracts, the police only received one bid, from Ager Leasing.
 
According to the police chiefs, the cars, which were “prototypes”, had “latest generation” equipment, whose price was higher than EUR50,000. Thus, one Dacia Logan would end up costing EUR78,000, while a BMW would cost some EUR112,000.
 
The leasing contract value is added with the insurance costs for the cars, throughout the contract period, namely three years, periodic technical overhauling, interest, homologation expenses, registration and periodic metrological tests.
 
These costs were, however, justified by police specialists through the fact that the professional equipment necessary for police work is very expensive.
 
According to the Police, the contracts were concluded following a public procurement procedure, through open auction, in accordance with the law.