Romania official at odds with EU, won't attend key EU event
Deputies' Chamber Speaker Dragnea delegated his duties to deputy
10 January, 15:25The 56-year-old is barred from being prime minister because of a conviction for vote-rigging, but effectively runs the governm ent. This month, Dragnea sued the European Commission at the Europea n Court of Justice over allegations he defrauded the EU.
The Eu ropean Anti-Fraud Office, OLAF, said 21 million euros ($24.15 m illion) was fraudulently paid to officials for road constructio n in Romania. The alleged misuse of funds from 2001-2012 were when he headed a county council in southern Romania. Romania's anti-corruption prosecutors are investigating whether he set up an organized crime group with other officials and fo rged documents to illicitly obtain EU funds. (ANSA-AP).