The network of corruption in a MApN battalion: sold posts, inflated pensions and wood stolen with military trucks. Miruta sends the case to the DNA
The Ministry of National Defense notified the National Anticorruption Directorate following an operative control carried out at the 52nd Geniu Battalion “Tisa” in Satu Mare, where serious irregularities were discovered.
Military exercise PHOTO: MApn
The announcement was made on Thursday, in a press conference, by the Minister of Defense, Radu Miruță, who specified that the mandate of the unit commander was interrupted, and the competitions organized illegally will be canceled.
According to the minister, the control revealed the illegal occupation of some positions of soldier and professional graded soldier, as well as the modification of the selection results of some candidates, so that people initially rejected are declared admitted.
“Following the operative control, at the 52nd Geniu Tisa Battalion from Satu Mare, the illegal occupation of some positions of soldiers and professional graded soldiers was found, the situation of the modification of the selection results of some candidates was found, so that those who had been declared rejected were declared admitted. The modification of the results was found, and according to the statements of some of those involved, this scheme happened including sums of money given to those who organized these selections”. said the Minister of Defense, Radu Miruță, in a press conference.
At the same time, they were identified “non-existent activities invented to collect sums of money“. These not only generated undue income, but also led to the increase of pensions for some soldiers. “The sums collected for activities that were not carried out led to the increase of the pension by up to 2,000 lei per month”the minister emphasized.
The list of irregularities continues with “the use of military trucks for personal purposes, the existence of a network of illegal shops inside the unit., without permits and without compliance with sanitary or fiscal norms, as well as the use of military personnel in the households and personal property of superiors.”
Soldiers used in the households of superiors
“Situations were identified in which the soldiers from this unit were used by their superiors for activities in personal properties and yards. There were cases of massive and illegal cutting of wood that was taken to the household environment of those who led the unit, including military trucks being used to transport these wooden masses. Fictitious transport missions of management personnel were found, for which fuel and sums of money related to travel were settled”added the Minister of Defense.
Documents sent to DNA. The commander, deposed
Following these discoveries, the documents were collected and forwarded to the competent structures, and a significant number of people were sent to the DNA.
“It was ordered to suspend the mandate of the commander and to organize a new contest. We requested the verification and cancellation of the contests that were held illegally. The stores in the garrison were abolished, and the MApN started procedures to recover the damages.” stated the minister.
Radu Miruță stated that he hopes that this case is an isolated one, but he emphasized that corruption in the Romanian Army must have “zero tolerance”.
