Ilie Bolojan, the first public reaction about the businessman from Vaslui. The Prime Minister tells how Bogos arrived in his office and why he had “a slight tremor”

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan declared, Thursday evening, on Digi24, that the meeting with Vaslui businessman Fănel Bogos, now targeted by a DNA file, lasted around “15 minutes” and was one in which “absolutely nothing happened”.

“The president of PNL Vaslui requested an audience, telling me that he wanted to introduce a gentleman to me in a political matter, he being a man who could run for office in Vaslui county (…). Having meetings, you realize, constantly with representatives of the authorities, with presidents of organizations, people who have problems, I treated this meeting in a regular key, it was an appointment, which I think was made through the cabinet, I don't know exactly anymore”, declared Ilie Bolojan.

The PNL leader said that he has known the president of the liberal branch in Vaslui, Mihai Barbu, “for many years”.

“Mr. Barbu (…) came to me with this gentleman, whose name on that date, you realize, he didn't tell me anything. Apart from the general discussions, let's say, he presented his company, what it does and the problems it has from the state authorities, not asking me for anything, I emphasize, on this topic”, continued Ilie Bolojan, referring to the discussion with Fănel Bogos.

Bolojan claims that the meeting with Fănel Bogos “was a meeting, probably of around 15 minutes”, in which “absolutely nothing happened”: “We shook hands, and we moved on”.

Asked what the businessman told him, the prime minister said: “I don't hold back, you understand, exactly, but he was telling me that he is not being treated properly by the public authorities in that area.”

Bolojan says he had “a slight stroke”

The Prime Minister noted that in the discussion with the businessman from Vaslui, he noted that, although he had come “to discuss political issues”, he “also presented issues that are not strictly from the political area”.

“When you have been in public office for 20 years, thousands of people come to your office, with whom you have meetings, both at the town hall and at the county council. And now at the Government, I have meetings and anyone who requests a meeting, if I see that it is a serious problem, at least from his statements, I try to listen to people, to see if there are problems that can be solved. Absolutely nothing happened here, apart from making this presentation. I had one, an easy one, and now I I remember, I laugh, because coming to discuss political issues, he also presented issues that are not strictly from the political area”, said Ilie Bolojan.

He claims that since then he has not discussed with Mihai Barbu “in a private setting”.

“Since then, I haven't had the chance to talk to Mr. Barbu in a private setting. I simply think that we saw each other once or twice in large meetings, where you cannot have private discussions, due to the crowding and the fact that you are not left alone,” explained the PNL leader.

The businessman Fănel Bogos, detained by DNA, is accused of blackmail and buying influence. Mediafax wrote yesterday, citing transcripts from the file, that Bogos used “networks of influence” to change the leadership of DSVSA Vaslui, also reaching Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

Mihai Barbu, at that time president of PNL Vaslui, treasurer of the party and president of the Railway Reform Authority, is the one who got the businessman from Vaslui to enter Ilie Bolojan. The government confirmed that the prime minister met with Bogos, but claims that the discussion “had no consequences”.

Mihai Barbu, suspended from PNL positions after being placed under judicial control

Barbu was placed by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) under judicial control for a period of 60 days. After the decision of the prosecutors, the PNL announced that it was suspending him “from all positions held within the party”.

The DNA accuses him of committing the crime of using influence or authority in order to obtain money, goods or other undue benefits for himself or for another.

Specifically, Mihai Barbu is accused by the prosecutors that, in order to facilitate the businessman Fănel Bogos to obtain compensation of 3 million euros from the Veterinary Sanitary and Food Safety Directorate (DSVSA) Vaslui, starting from February “he would have exercised his influence and political authority to mediate a meeting” of the businessman “with high state officials, the director of ANSVSA and various politicians and, at the same time, he would have exercised pressure on the director of ANSVSA”.

According to DNA, Mihai Barbu promised Fănel Bogos that “he will force the director of DSVSA Vaslui to cancel the measures taken by the officials of DSVSA Vaslui regarding the irregularities found within the farms owned by the latter's company or, if this is not possible, that he will take steps to dismiss that person from the position of director of DSVSA Vaslui”.

Barbu stated on Antena 3 CNN that he wanted to introduce Fanel Bogos to the prime minister, but claims that the purpose of the meeting was not to save the businessman from his problems.