The National Integrity Agency turns into a thorn in the side of union leaders

• The reverse pyramid: unionists are richer than businessmen

1. Vasile Marica. The leader of the "Sed Lex" alliance owns a plot of land of 500 sqm in the built area of Otopeni, a 98 sqm apartment in Bucharest and a 100 sqm house in Otopeni. He owns two cars, Toyota Yaris (2003) and a Volkswagen Golf (2010). By 2038 he needs to pay a loan to Alpha Bank of 150,000 Euros. In 2010 he made 89,000 lei from his union activities.

2. Iacob Baciu. The president of CSDR has inherited several plots of agricultural land and 1/4th of a house in the commune of Saulia de Câmpie , in the county of Mureş, and has also bought several plots of land in the county of Mureş. He also own a plot of land in the commune of Săftica, an apartment of 76.2 sqm in Tîrgu Mureş and an apartment of 102 sqm in Bucharest. The position of president of the CSDR earned him 58,704 lei and his positions on three boards of directors, and additional 71,000 lei.

3. Marius Petcu. The president of CNSLR Frăţia has annual revenues of 120,000 Euros. He owns 5 plots of land, with the largest being the one of 18,200 sqm in Snagov. He has a holiday home in Vlădiceasca (Ilfov) and another house in the 4th district of Bucharest, as well as an apartment of 40 sqm in Bucharest. He owns watches, paintings, jewelry worth 20,000 Euros, a personal account of 60,000 Euros and 400,000 lei. He is a shareholder of several companies and has a loan of 180,000 Euros.

4. Dumitru Costin. The president of the National Union owns an apartment of 91 sqm in Bucharest and holds an apartment of 76 sqm in Piteşti. He has a loan taken from Unicredit coming due in 2020 of 85,000 lei. In 2010 hea earned 233,823 lei. He also owns 10% of a company.

5. Bogdan Hossu. The leader of Cartel Alfa owns two apartments in Bucharest, one of 51 sqm and one of 86 square meters and has inherited a plot of land of 10 hectares in the Milaj commune. He owns several accounts and has investments in several private pension funds which amount to 100,000 Euros. In the past year, he earned 83,174 lei.

The National Integrity Agency (ANI) has begun investigating the possessions of 15 union leaders. The investigation of the ANI targets both union leaders that can"t justify their fortune, as well as those that neglected to file their interests and fortune statements on time.

The list of ANI inspectors includes notorious unionists such as: Vasile Marica, Bogdan Hossu, Marius Nistor, Ion Popescu, Anton Hadăr, Gheorghe Isvoranu, Vasile Lincu, Ion Albu, Liviu Luca, Marius Petcu and Dumitru Costin.

The inspectors of the ANI claim that they have begun reviewing the personal fortune of union leaders ever since December. However, the names of two union leaders who are being investigated by the ANI have appeared in the customs corruption scandal which is currently making headlines.

The news of the probes is coming just one day after the statements made by former customs chief Marius Ungureanu, in which he claimed that the leader of the union alliance "Sed Lex", Vasile Marica, accepted bribes from some customs employees to promote them or allow them to keep their jobs. Vasile Marica denied these accusations.

Vasile Lincu, the leader of the Policemen and Customs Union "Pro Lex", made several shocking revelations on corruption in the customs and its ties to the political environment, alluding it resembles a chess table.

Besides, president Traian Băsescu recently claimed that the "queen" which coordinates the smuggling operations of the customs may be tied to the unions.

• Investigations and meetings

Unionists claim that the beginning of the investigations by the ANI is intended as a warning for union leaders that were planning to organize new street protests in the coming period, against the changes in labor legislation and social dialog. The reason for the protests is the fact that the 15% raise promised by the Government was actually lower.

The president of CNS Cartel ALFA, Bogdan Hossu, considers that the actions of the ANI have been ordered "from on high" and are an attempt to discredit the union movement.

Bogdan Hossu made the following statement, quoted by Agerpres: "I can"t find any other explanation for the fact that union leaders have higher priority for the ANL than the 250,000-300,000 dignitaries and other officials of the state that are spending public money that the ANL should actually concern itself with. The unions are the only civilian structure that was included on the list of the ANI and all of a sudden it"s precisely the unions that become the priority of the ANI. We are not against having our fortunes checked, but we think what the ANI is doing to Romanian union leaders it unconstitutional and goes against European principles".

Hossu also accuses the ANI of violating one of the conventions of the International Labor Organization (OIM): "I did not file the fortune and interests statement as chairman of the Cartel Alfa Union Confederation because I am not a dignitary, and convention no. 87 of the OIM give unions autonomy and independence to the unions. My fortune statement is present on the website because I am a member of the Board of Directors of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Society. I did not respond to the invitation made by the ANI because I didn"t have time, we have more important things to do and I think the ANI has other priorities too".

In turn, the president of the National Union Block (BNS), Dumitru Costin, considers that the actions that the ANI took against him, was caused by an article which appeared in the press last autumn, which contained incomplete information: "In my case, the ANI has referred the matter to itself based on an article which appeared in the press. I gave several statements and I proved that all the information in the article is nothing but lies (...). What is happening to me now is part of a campaign to divert the attention of the public elsewhere (...). I have filed all the statements on time without any problems. As to what concerns me, I am at their disposal, I am waiting for them to finish their investigations. It they prove that I"m a criminal and a liar, then I will bear the legal consequences".

Ion Popescu, the president of the Meridian Confederation, claims that everything that is happening is part of an unjustified campaign.

Ion Popescu said: "They asked for documents concerning my fortune and I provided them. Let them do their job, it"s very well, that"s why they"re paid from taxpayer funds after all (...) to have a conscience when they are approaching this kind of issues, which are of course related to legislation. We (ed. note: - the union leaders of Meridian) do not have business with the state, we don"t take money from the state, we are not involved in shady businesses".

• JOKE OF THE DAY

While sipping champagne at a congress, customs workers from several countries are talking. The French customs worker says: With what I made last year I bought myself a castle. The German customs worker says: With what I made last year, I bought a chain of hotels. The Romanian customs workers says: With what I made last year, I got myself a BMW... The other two ask him, with a condescending look:

So, it"s that bad in your country?

To which the Romanian customs worker says:

- If you"d just let me finish...I bought myself a BMW factory...