10 10 2007 Bucharest _ Prosecutors asked Romanian President Traian Basescu on Monday to authorise a criminal investigation against Agriculture Minister Decebal Traian Remes for alleged corruption.
Remes, a member of the governing Liberal Party, has refused to make any public comment about the allegations.
Prosecutors said in a press statement that Remes had favoured a local businessman in a public tender.
In a related development, the prosecutors on Sunday detained a former agriculture minister for 24 hours as part of a graft investigation related to Remes's case.
The national anti-corruption prosecutor's office (DNA) said that former minister Ioan Muresan was accused of having "given a high official around €15,500 on behalf of a businessman who wanted, in return, preferential treatment in a tender process by public institutions".
Prosecutors are already investigating Justice Minister Tudor Chiuariu, and former Communication Minister Zsolt Nagy for alleged corruption.
Investigators need presidential authorisation to launch criminal inquiries against current and former cabinet members.
According to Transparency International’s corruption perception index, despite some progress made since 2004, Romania remains the most corrupt country in the EU. (Birn)
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