As much as the mayor of Mangalia received bribe, detained by DNA. Radu Cristian tried to hide the money by purchasing a hotel
Radu Cristian, Mayor of Mangalia, photo: screenshot from the mayor's tiktok channel (Cristian.Radu127)
The mayor of Mangalia requested and received between 2020 and 2025 repeatedly bribes in a total value of 645,000 to issue urban documents or local council decisions, the DNA said in a press release issued after the mayor's detention.
Prosecutors have documented five cases in which the mayor took bribes directly or through intermediaries and accuses him including money laundering by how he wanted to conceal and hide the origin of money.
Thus, the mayor requested, between 2022-2024, 80,000 euros, from which he received through an intermediary the amount of 42,333 euros, to let various people carry out trade on the beach or in the area of the Mangalia tourist port without being fined or imprisoned by the Mangalia Local Police. According to DNA, the amount of money was offered in the form of purchases of luxury clothing.
During 2020, the mayor claimed the sum of 70,000 euros, which received through an intermediary the amount of 20,000 euros, to issue a certificate of urbanism and subsequently a building permit for a P+12 housing building in the Neptune Station.
Two other deeds of bribe took place in 2023. Then, the prosecutors, the mayor claimed and received a use, respectively the equivalent of 500,000 euros by reducing the purchase price of the assets of a commercial company, for the transfer of land leases in the Mangalia tourist port. Also in 2023, he asked for 50,000 euros, of which he received 150,000 lei so that two people were not controlled by the officials within the Mangalia City Hall during the construction of a building in the Neptune resort.
The last deed documented by the DNA took place at the beginning of this year, when the mayor claimed and received the sum of 50,000 euros from a person, so that the latter to obtain from the City Hall of Constanța Municipality a certificate for the construction/extension of the construction without a building permit for a building located in the Saturn resort.
Prosecutors also say that Radu Cristian has concealed and hidden much of the amounts of money mentioned above, by the purchase in 2023 of a hotel from CAP AURORA.
The mayor was detained on Thursday morning and is to be taken to the Constanta Court with a preventive arrest proposal for 30 days.
History of corruption at Mangalia City Hall
Radu Cristian is mayor at the fourth term. According to Info Sud East, Radu is one of the most influential politicians in PNL Constanța. It is criticized by the opposition in Mangalia and part of the civil society for the discretionary way in which the City Hall leads, being accused of lack of transparency, especially regarding the assets accumulated on behalf of the relatives.
He is not the first mayor of Mangalia who has criminal problems. Two of his predecessors were sentenced to prison with suspension. Zanfir Iorguș, mayor of Mangalia between 1996-2008, was sentenced in 2018 to three years in prison with suspension for abuse in service, according to Freedom.
Also, Claudiu Tusac, mayor between 2009 and 2012, was sentenced in 2017 to one year of imprisonment with conditional suspension, being accused of conflict of interest, in continuous form, according to Constanta Day.
