Mircea Băsescu and Cazacu have officially exited "Desintco"

Mircea Băsescu the president"s brother and Maria Cazacu, the daughter of the former Defense Industry Department of the Ministry of Economy, Aurel Cazacu, have officially exited Desintco SRL, after the Trade Registry last week recorded that they sold their stakes to the other shareholders.

The two of them announced on August 21st, that they would exit the company, after their association with notorious military industry figures was revealed in a joint investigation published by "Bursa", "BizBazar" and TV station Antena 3, which reflected the conflict of interest of the current president - who is also the head of the Supreme Defense Council - and of Aurel Cazacu, the head of the Defense Industry Division in the Ministry of the Economy.

Our newspaper some time ago revealed that a travel agency called "Envy Tour Travel" suddenly changed its name, scope of activity and owners, by having Mircea Băsescu, Aurel Cazacu, Cristian Geamănu, Romeo Oiţă and general Ion Eftimie Sandu become shareholders.

The Ilfov based company was named "Defence, Security and Intelligence Co- Desintco SRL.

At the time, Aurel Cazacu fueled the scandal by nonchalantly saying that the involvement of the president"s brother was "a guarantee that the major companies would have easier access to Cotroceni palace" (the president"s residence while in office - ed. note). This could easily be considered influence peddling, which is incriminated by Romanian laws.

President Traian Băsescu at the time said he regretted that a member of his family was involved in a company operating in the military sector, and asked his brother to exit the company immediately.

Aurel Cazacu recently said for BURSA, that he agreed to his daughter joining the company in June 2009, only because she would serve as a guarantee (for the other two associates, Romeo Oiţă and Cristian Geamănu), that the naval exhibition, which the two were organizing together, would be ready by August 14th 2009.

Aurel Cazacu also said that the shares owned by his daughter in Desintco were transferred to reserve general Ion Eftimie Sandu, former replacement of the head of the Army Procurement Department up until a few months ago.

Which means that Mircea Băsescu sold his 30% to the other three remaining shareholders: 5% to Ion Eftimie Sandu, 15% to Romeo Oiţă and 10% to Cristian Geamănu. Aurel Cazacu also claims that Desintco would organize the second military naval exhibition in Constanţa.