Another four employees of the state-run company “Bus Stations and Termini”, two of whom were put on the wanted list, are investigated for passive and active corruption and abuse of power. They are suspected of complicity in the scheme to illegally collect money for hiding illegalities committed in the passenger transportation sector, IPN reports, quoting a press release of the National Anticorruption Center (NAC) and the Prosecutor General’s Office.
A day ago, 12 employees of the state-run company “Bus Stations and Termini” were arrested by NAC officers on charges of passive and active corruption and abuse of power, while another 11 functionaries were escorted to the NAC for questioning as suspects in a number of criminal cases. According to the NAC, the prosecutors on July 17 released two of the 12 arrested persons. These will be investigated outside remand, but cannot leave the place of residence. The suspects made statements over this case and cooperate with the investigation bodies.
The evidence collected so far shows the drivers were obliged to daily transmit fixed sums of money to the cashiers who, for their part, accumulated money from all the drivers who entered the terminus by the end of the day. Later the money was transmitted to the upper authorities. Up to 1.5 million lei was collected monthly by this scheme. The money was paid by drivers to transport operators in gratitude for being exempted from inspections given that many of the drivers transported more passengers than allowed, didn’t stick to the timetable and didn’t issue tickets.
One more scheme for appropriating public funds by employees of the state-run company “Bus stations and termini” was identified during the investigation. Persons in charge of baggage keeping daily collected charges from persons for storing luggage without indicating these in the accounting records. The money was appropriated by employees who caused thus damage to the company.
The passive and active corruption and abuse of power carry different penalties and bans on holding particular posts for public functionaries.
