The Parliament endorsed new clauses to the Penal Code on Thursday, in the first reading, providing for sanctions in case of embezzling state budget money, Info-Prim Neo reports. The infraction is liable to a fine ranging from 300 to 500 conventional units (20 lei), or imprisonment from 1 to 3 years, for breeches resulting in large losses. The infractions having very large losses, as possibly a number of persons may be guilty, will be sanctioned from 500 to 700 conventional units as the prison term is to be from 2 to 5 years. Deputy Minister of Finances Nina Lupan has said the modifications will allow to punish actions steadily admitted by managers of entities financed from the public money and will ease the realization of state programs in accordance with financing plans adopted through the budget law. The deputy minister could not specify how many cases of embezzlement were registered in 2007 or from the beginning of the year.