Romanian PM Victor Ponta indicted in fraud case

September 17, 2015

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta was today indicted for fraud offences. The move follows a previous charging, which sees Ponta accused of forgery,, , and having a conflict of interest. He is set to become the nation's first Prime Minister to face trial while in power.

His party, the left-wing, support him. Ponta denies the accusations which emerged months ago, and has refused to resign. The Social Democrats lost the Presidential election last year and face a general election next year.

Ponta has thrice resisted censures proposed by the opposition. He has resigned the Social Democratic leadership and prosecutors say they have frozen some of his assets. President has asked Ponta to leave office, saying

The alleged misconduct predates Ponta's time in office and therefore avoids presidential immunity. The indictment indicates prosecutors have finished investigations and are ready to try Ponta and four others involved in the case. Ponta was a lawyer and in 2008–09, the period covered by the indictment. He was elected Prime Minister in 2012. The case alleges Ponta forged expenses claims for 39,750 while working for political ally 's law firm. Ponta gave Sova three different ministerial roles, the foundation for the conflict of interest allegations. The case is now sent to the country's highest court.

Ponta accused anti-corruption prosecutors of "manipulating public opinion" and withholding information. Romania is amongst Europe's poorest nations and has been grappling with corruption and political instability since independence from the Soviet Union in 1989. In recent years the rich and powerful have come under scrutiny by the nation's anti-corruption investigators, often claiming the cases against them are political.