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• At the High Council of Justice - prosecutor George Bălan and magistrate Marcel Sâmpetru and commissioner Vlad Adrian Mihai of the Internal Intelligence and Protection Service (SIPI) of Ilfov - , accused of influence peddling and disclosure of secret information
Suspended by the High Council of Justice (CSM), prosecutor George Bălan and magistrate Marcel Sâmpetru (who served as advisor to the former) were heard yesterday by the National Anticorruption Department, which accused them of having negotiated with leaders of the USL their appointments as general prosecutor of Romania for the former, replacing Laura Codruţa Kovesi, and as head of the National Anticorruption Department for the latter, replacing Daniel Morar, while providing secret information about political competitors in exchange, which the defendants allegedly obtained from the head of the Internal Intelligence and Protection Service (SIPI) of Ilfov, commissioner Vlad Adrian Mihai, who is also being charged, as announced by the news agencies.
As leaked in the press, the National Anti-Corruption Department relies on the recordings of phone calls and talks, which began in February/March 2012, made by George Bălan, which show his intention and that of Marcel Sâmpetru to get promoted, once the USL would be in control.
The list of those whom George Bălan talked to, includes commissioner Vlad Adrian Mihai, from whom he was apparently looking to obtain compromising information about Ovidiu Ioan Silaghi (who became the Minister of Transports on May 7th, in the Ponta government, coming from the PNL), information which would prove very useful when dividing the various fiefs among the various USL members. It is rumored that the PSD wanted to have control of the Prosecutor's Office of the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and the PNL would have wanted to have the National Anticorruption Department (in other words, precisely the place where the defendants were heard yesterday).
But, according to the recording of a conversation between Bălan and Sâmpetru, which suggests that they are holding council on how to negotiate their promotion, Bălan gets in touch with Victor Ponta and asks him (in a manner which suggests that they are very friendly) a meeting, which the prime minister kindly accepts:
"George Bălan: Victor, you think I could come by and see you today or tomorrow, when you have some time?
Victor Ponta: Sure. I will be in my office until 3 o'clock. If you want to come by, I'll be happy to fix you a cup of coffee, alright?"
The friendly tone used can easily be explained, if it is true that George Bălan was the boss of Victor Ponta, between 1996-1998 at the Court of District 1 of Bucharest, and later at the Anticorruption Department of the General Prosecutors' Office, where the current prime minister got transferred at the same time as Bălan.
When it comes to Bălan, the media wrote that he was close to Cătălin Voicu, a senator who was arrested for corruption, helping the senator to get in touch with the heads of the lower prosecutors' offices of Bucharest.
On the other hand, it is noteworthy that Bălan is not speaking to his subordinate in a very casual tone over the phone, whereas Sâmpetru calls him "you", instead of "sir", even though Bălan is his boss.
It seems that the "load" is very important here, because Sâmpetru, who was the former general prosecutor of Romania, is "saddled" with fabulous charges, concerning the flight of Omar Hayssam and the aiding and abetting of Sorin Ovidiu Vîntu on two occasions, reasons which, from a certain point of view, make it mandatory for him to be addressed with "sir", in a reverse hierarchy, which would suggest that he can negotiate with the Prime Minister, and make requests (just a theory).
George Bălan defended himself yesterday, saying that he has always supported the idea of the appointments for the positions him and his friend were after no longer being made by the President, but by the High Council of Justice, and that, in his conversations, he only discussed general ideas, without mentioning people.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta proved to be a good prophet, when he posted on Facebook yesterday morning: "This will be yet another day of manipulation and lies! Here is further proof that you can't cohabitate with Traian Băsescu. I am immune to this kind of attacks".
It doesn't make a lot of sense why a prime minister in office thinks he should cohabitate with a president who has been suspended, but he certainly nailed it!
And his "clairvoyance" seems to infect the logical thinkers of the PSD as well, as shown in yesterday's intervention on TV of senator Dan Şova:
"This entire hubbub where they speak of influence peddling is ridiculous. It is the Minister of Justice who proposes the candidates, the High Council of Justice reviews them, and the President of Romania appoints them. Up until two days ago, it was Traian Băsescu who was the president. The Criminal Code states that influence peddling must be attempted upon the person who does the actual appointment. Or, the appointment gets done through a presidential decree. I doubt anybody would imagine that anyone would actually try to influence the USL into putting in a good word with Traian Băsescu."
Şova says it himself that Băsescu is suspended.
After that, however, he does call the entire "hubbub" as "hilarious". He finds the absurdity not in interceding with a suspended president, but in his enmity to the USL.
Yes, I am sure that the PSD would not stoop so low as to resort to influence peddling.
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