Romanian court blocks landmark graft case against Nastase

06/07/2007

BUCHAREST, Romania -- The Constitutional Court issued a ruling Thursday (July 5th) that effectively blocked a landmark corruption case against former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and his wife Dana. The court agreed that according to the constitution, the only institutions that have the right to institute criminal proceedings against cabinet members are the two houses of parliament and the president, not the National Anti-Corruption Department. The department began investigating allegations against Nastase after he left the post of prime minister in 2004. He has been charged with taking bribes, blackmail and abuse of office. His wife is charged with complicity. (Nine o'clock, hotnews.ro, Evenimentul Zilei - 06/07/07, Mediafax - 05/07/07)