NAC says telephone recordings were broadcast for intimidation

The head of the prosecution division of the National Anticorruption Center (NAC) Bogdan Zumbreanu said the telephone recordings that appeared in the media are an attempt to intimidate the investigation bodies. He avoided saying whose voices are heard in the recordings, arguing the Center must establish if they are authentic, Info-Prim Neo reports. However, Bogdan Zumbreanu said that these recordings were disseminated as part of a campaign launched with a view to distracting attention from the investigation into the legal case started against the director of the Main State Tax Inspectorate Nicolae Vicol. “Surely, there will be launched an internal inquiry. We will determine how the mass media obtained these recordings,” said Bogdan Zumbeanu. On February 18, the media broadcast recordings of telephone conversations allegedly between Prime Minister Vlad Filat, Nicolae Vicol, Minister of the Interior Dorin Recean and others. Nicolae Vicol was arrested on February 15. He is suspected of committing a number of offenses, including passive corruption, abuse of power, and wiretapping.