Adrian Năstase, sentenced for "blackmail"

The former premier Adrian Năstase was sentenced, on Friday, by the Supreme Court to three years of prison, with suspension for blackmail, in "Zambaccian” file, being paid for the crime of taking bribes.

Also the former premier’s wife, Dana Năstase, was censured in the file known as "Zambaccian’.

The Supreme Court has ordered Dana Năstase’s condemnation to three years of prison, also with the suspend of the sentence, for “improper participation in using false documents to the customs authority”, being paid for complicity in bribery and blackmail.

The former head of the State Inspectorate in Constructions, Irina Paula Jianu, also sued in this file, was sentenced to three years in prison to execution.

Thus, the Court ruled in her case a penalty of two years in prison for the use of the commercial goods of the company against its goals and another punishment, of three years ' imprisonment, for improper participation in the use of false documents to customs.

These two terms were merged by court, Irina Paula Jianu following to perform the hardest punishment, three years in prison respectively.

The Court decision appealed

The Social Democratic deputy’s attorney, Ion Cazacu, argues that the decision of the High Court is very complicated in terms of technical and legal, and the subject of blackmail is missing.

"There are many elements that I think we are going to appeal. Protective measures were raised on property and blocked amounts at the beginning of the investigation. I found that the old latin rabbinic, which refers to the fact that truth always wins, took shape today", said the attorney Ion Cazacu.

He also said he would submit an appeal to the decision of the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

In "Zambaccian" file, Adrian Năstase is accused of bribery and blackmail, Dana Năstase of complicity in the two offences, and Irina Paula Jianu of release of bribery and money laundering.

The bribery act provides between three and ten years, but , the judges may choose the suspend sentence or even acquittal.

Prosecutors have argued that the two allegations of corruption for which Adrian Năstase was judged are furnished not only by the intercepts from the file, but also by the accounting documents and surveys, proving the bringing of imports from China through Vercon company.

Prosecutor session has shown that Adrian Năstase received several sums of money in goods from Irina Jianu, shipments made in China.

The former premier Adrian Năstase was sentenced, in January, to two years of prison, by the High Court of Cassation and Justice, in the process “Trophy quality”, where he is accused in connection with the fundraising for the election campaign of 2004, when he ran for the Presidency of the Social Democrat Party(PSD)

The former premier’s lawyers, however, have also made appeal to this decision.

Translated by Anamaria Petrache
MTTLC, Bucharest University