THE CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IN REM HAS BEEN STARTED DNA investigating the circumstances under which Elena Udrea granted European funds to Ţiriac to develop the Stejarii club

The National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) is conducting investigations on the complaint filed against Elena Udrea concerning the use of European grants for the development of the "Stejarii" club, according to information provided to BURSA by the institution's press office.

"Stejarii Country Club", developed by Ion Ţiriac, is located in the immediate vicinity of the "Stejarii" luxury residential complex, developed by the businessman in the Băneasa forest area of Bucharest. The club cost about 18 million Euros, of which 8 million came from European funds.

The anti-corruption prosecutors have begun the prosecution "in rem", i.e. they are investigating the reported facts in order to establish the guilt and to find their perpetrators.

A complaint was initially filed in October 2014, with the General Prosecution Office, which declined its competence and sent the case to the DNA.

According to the mainstream press, the complaint alleges that Elena Udrea allocated European funding, back when she was the Minister of Development, for the development of the tourism and leisure complex, which, however, is not being used for the purpose it was developed for (the development of tourism in Bucharest), but instead only benefits the luxurious "Stejarii" residential neighborhood.

Last year, Elena Udrea said she had rented an apartment in the residential complex developed by Ion Ţiriac. Also last year, she sent a communiqué to the press in which she claimed that the complaint was wihout merit and that it was filed by "Sandu Jean Cătălin, former legal advisor at the Food Research Institute (ICA), who is in jail alongside Dan Voiculescu, charged with corruption and money laundering, having caused 60 million in damages, in the fraudulent privatization of the Food Research Institute".

The European financing was granted through a contract signed in 2011 between the Ministry of Development, led by Elena Udrea, and Medusa Hotel International SRL. The duration of the contract was 27 months, with the termination date on December 27th 2013. The Club was opened approximately one year ago.

Medusa Hotel International SRL does not figure among the companies of the Ţiriac Holdings group. According to data from the Trade Registry, the company is controlled by Cypriot companies Dongo Holdings Limited (70.3%) and Amiel Enterprises Limited (29.6%).

On the other hand, Enache Costina Genoveva, a proxy of Dongo Holdings Limited and Amiel Enterprises Limited, holds a similar position in Vitexa Holdings Limited. The latter Cypriot company is a shareholder of Casa Auto SRL, which changed its name to Ţiriac Auto.

According to the official website of the Stejarii club, the land it is located on has a surface of 15,000 square meters, and a built area of 22,000 square meters, with a basement, ground floor and one floor. The media has also reported that according to the contract signed and made public by the Ministry of Development, for the development of indoor and outdoor swimming pools, jacuzzi, Finnish sauna, hammam, kids club, children's playground, children's swimming pools, dance club, SPA, as well as the setup and outfitting of tennis courts, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, tennis and squash platforms, and six multifunctional rooms, all available for a membership fee.

The Stejarii residential complex, is located in Northern Bucharest, in the midst of a protected 200 hectare forest area. The luxury complex integrates 8 buildings with basement, ground floor plus four floors, with a total of 285 2-to 7-room apartments. The apartments have surfaces ranging from 108 and 604 mp, including the vast terraces and they have their own storage area.

Ion Ţiriac said, after the arrest of Elenea Udrea and the recent wave of other arrests made by the DNA and the DIICOT: "What would interest me first of all, would be to take back the money that they have embezzled - the state and me, as taxpayer... that thing, with the fine added to the fine, and then we will see what it is about, because otherwise, I will have to pay for prison as well. I don't like all this circus, taking people away from their homes with hooded men. We live a in a democratic country, this is not the French revolution. She did something wrong, she should pay".

Elena Udrea was arrested by the policemen from the very apartment she had rented in the residential complex owned by Ţiriac, according to the central press.

About Elena Udrea and Ion Ţiriac, the German edition of Huffington Post wrote, on October 25th, that they were involved in the Microsoft and EADS cases. The publication noted that "under the umbrella" of the EADS, Elena Udrea, several European dignitaries, as well as businessmen Ion Ţiriac and Klaus Mangold received over 60 million Euros in bribes.