Răzvan Cuc, former Minister of Transport, arrested for 30 days. He is accused of complicity in bribery

The former PSD Minister of Transport, Răzvan Cuc, and the businessman accused of trying to corrupt the director of the Romanian Auto Registry, were pre-arrested on Wednesday for 30 days, judicial sources told HotNews.

Răzvan Cuc was detained by the DNA since Tuesday, after the anti-corruption prosecutors carried out searches in Bucharest and in Ilfov county, in a file in which crimes committed this year are being investigated. Descendants took place both at Răzvan Cuc's residence and at that of a businessman, being investigated for crimes of bribery and complicity in bribery.

The former minister and the businessman are accused of trying to bribe the director of the Romanian Car Registry (RAR), Cuc being the one who mediated the discussions between the businessman and the director of RAR.

The prosecutors documented three meetings between Răzvan Cuc and Mihai Alecu, which took place between September and November 2025.

The former minister assured the director of RAR that he would receive a percentage of 6% of the total value of 23 million lei of a framework agreement (ie over 1.3 million lei) for ensuring the maintenance of the equipment for technical inspection of cars, an agreement that was to be renewed between the public institution and the company managed by the businessman Cătălin Bușe.

Prosecutors' official charges

In an official statement, DNA announces that “the prosecutors of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate – Section for Combating Corruption Crimes have ordered the initiation of criminal proceedings and the detention for 24 hours, starting on December 16, 2025, against the defendants BDC, administrator of a commercial company and CRA, a natural person without special status, for committing the crime of bribery, respectively complicity for bribery”.

In the orders of the prosecutors, it is stated that, in the case, there are data and evidence that outline the following state of facts:

• During the month of September 2025, the Autonomous Directorate of the Romanian Auto Registry launched a public procurement procedure in the amount of approximately 23,000,000 lei including VAT, which aims to ensure the maintenance of vehicle technical verification and diagnostic equipment.
• Between September and November 2025, the defendant BDC, also benefiting from the help of the defendant CRA, would have promised the general director (witness in question) of the Romanian Automobile Registry, as a bribe, a percentage of 6% of the total value of the aforementioned framework agreement, which was to be renewed between the public institution and the company whose administrator is the first defendant.
• The two defendants would have promised the respective amount during several meetings or conversations with the general director of RAR, so that he would carry out the necessary steps for the preferential appointment of the members of the evaluation committee of the offers submitted by the participants in the public procurement procedure, as well as for the signing of the respective contract with the company managed by the defendant BDC, in the shortest possible time.
• The defendant BDC allegedly promised the director general of RAR that the said amount of money would be remitted to him, in installments, at time intervals of approximately 3-5 months, the first installment to be in the period leading up to the Christmas holiday.”

The DNA also specifies that the two defendants have been informed of the procedural status and the criminal charges, and on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, they will be presented to the Bucharest Court with a proposal for preventive arrest for 30 days.

Who are the people in the file?

It is about the former PSD minister of transport Răzvan Cuc and the businessman Cătălin Bușe. They are accused of wanting to bribe the director of RAR, Mihai Alecu, with a commission of 6% of the value of a framework contract of 23 million lei.

Cătălin Bușe, the administrator of Euro Quip International SRL, wanted to obtain the extension of a contract with the Romanian Auto Registry. The framework agreement, renewed on November 21, 2025, concerned the provision of maintenance services and the service of RAR's mechanized lines.

To obtain this extension, I promised the director of RAR 6% of the contract value.

Răzvan Cuc is accused of mediating the discussions between the director of RAR and the businessman Cătălin Bușe. The prosecutors documented three meetings between Răzvan Cuc and Mihai Alecu, which took place between September and November 2025.

Former minister Cuc assured the director of RAR that he would receive 6% (approximately 1.3 million lei) of the value of the contract signed by RAR and Bușe's company.

In exchange for the bribe, the director of RAR should have ensured that Buşe's company is the one that benefits from the contract extension. Also, the director should have “preferentially” appointed the members of the RAR bid evaluation committee and put pressure on the signing of the agreement as soon as possible, according to the cited sources.

In this case, Răzvan Cuc is suspected of complicity in bribery, and Cătălin Bușe of bribery.