PM Victor Ponta has become the highest ranking Romanian official who has been put under criminal inquiry under corruption-related charges while in office. Ponta was at the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) headquarters on Friday morning. He made no statement on his arriving at the DNA offices and there is no public information approximately the purpose of his going there.
UPDATE 1 Victor Ponta said on Friday he was a suspect in a case related to his activity as a lawyer in 2007-2008 and for conflict of interest over his naming fellow lawyer Dan Sova as minister in his government.
UPDATE 2 Asked on his leaving the DNA offices whether he would resign,Ponta said: We don't effect politics at the DNA, we effect politics in Parliament
UPDATE 3 The DNA issued a press release announcing that anti-graft prosecutors ordered a criminal inquiry against PM Ponta for 17 cases of false documents under private signature, or complicity to tax evasion,money laundering.
UPDATE 4 President Iohannis said in a statement on Friday that he calls for Victor Ponta's resignation
UPDATE 5 For now, PM Ponta said on Facebook on Friday that only the Parliament - who named him as prime minister - can dismiss him as head of government.
Source: hotnews.ro