Romania’s Anti-Graft Body Indicts Former PM Adrian Nastase on Bribery Charges

With the help of two accomplices - Ioan Melinescu and Ristea Priboi, which have also been indicted - Nastase stopped an investigation regarding the origin of a $400,000 (268,000 euro) payment to the bank account of his wife, Daniela Nastase, after becoming prime minister in 2000, DNA said in a statement.

Nastase, a member of the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD), was prime minister between December 2000 and December 2004.

Several previous investigations against Nastase have failed to progress due to lack of evidence or failure to receive approval from the parliament.

In March, the Lower Chamber of the Romanian Parliament approved a decision for launching a criminal probe against Nastase.

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.

($=0.6694 euro)