Romanian Prosecutors Send Former PM Adrian Nastase to Court

According to DNA, Nastase, with the help of accomplices, raised funds illegally for his Social Democratic Party in 2004. Romania held general and presidential elections that year.

The anti-graft prosecutors do not need the parliament's approval to send Nastase to court because the investigation concerns Nastase's actions as party leader, although he was also prime minister at the time. Nastase ran in 2004 for president, but lost to the current head of state Traian Basescu.

Several previous investigations against Nastase, who was Romania's prime minister between 2000 and 2004, have failed to progress due to lack of evidence or failure to receive approval from the parliament.

The European Commission has repeatedly urged Romania to step up the reform of its judiciary system and the fight against high-level corruption. The ex-communist state joined the European Union in January 2007.