Adrian Severin is retiring from European Socialist Party

Adrian Severin is retiring from the Party of the European Socialists until the investigation the authorities in Brussels launched after the MP together with two fellow colleagues were accused of corruption.

Adrian Severin made the announcement on Monday, after having a discussion with the leader of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Martin Schultz.

According to the Radio România reporter, Claudia Marcu, Adrian Severin would not resign but retire from the Socialist Party.

Adrian Severin stated that "you cannot present your resignation unless you approve that the allegations are true. And the fact that some people are influenced to believe that these allegations are true, is not a good reason either to resign but to start an investigation."

Adrian Severin became a Member of the European Parliament as a PSD representative in 2007.

Investigation in the European Parliament

Diana Wallis, the Vice-President of the institution in which transparency is the main responsibility stated for Radio România that Adrian Severin, Ernst Strasse and Zoran Thaler would be investigated by the European Parliament based on the documents put at their disposal by the daily The Sunday Times.

Diana Wallis stated that they would not only investigate the separate cases, but especially "the wider consequences upon the institution".

Diana Wallis added that on Wednesday the case of the three MPs would be discussed within the European Parliament.

MP Marian Jean Marinescu(the Liberal Democratic Party) stated that the incident would tarnish the image of the Parliament.

Marian Jean Marinescu underlined that "the repercussions that this image will have upon our activity and us as a people’ were the worst side of the whole situation.

NAD starts an investigation

Meanwhile, in Bucharest, the leader of the Democratic Socialist Party, Victor Ponta, stated that the party was waiting for the result of the investigation conducted by the European Parliament regarding Adrian Severin.

Victor Ponta pointed out that PSD would immediately apply the decision of European Parliament, whatever that may be.

Adrian Severin announced that he was retiring from the PSD National Permanent Bureau until the investigation was concluded.

The NAD attorneys decided to start their own investigation on the possibility of Adrian Severin being involved in corruption.

Adrian Severin is also being investigated by the National Integrity Agency for anomalies in his wealth statement.

Translated by: Raluca Mizdrea

MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University