Ascultă Radio România Actualitaţi Live

Former customs worker accuses trade union leader of bribe taking

A former customs worker at Giurgiu border crossing point, Marius Ungureanu, has paid the Sed Lex leader Vasile Marica about 2,500 euros per month between 1997 and 2002. Vasile Marica denies these accusations.

Former customs worker accuses trade union leader of bribe taking
Sed Lex President Vasile Marica. Photo: Agerpres Archive.

16 Februarie 2011, 10:11

During the press conference organized by the the Police and Customs Officers Trade Union "Pro Lex", former customs worker Marius Ungureanu denounced himself in this bribery case.

He claims he collected sums of money and offered the Sed Lex union leader about 2,000 – 2,500 euros per month, for six years.

In his opinion, Vasile Marica is the one who created and the main beneficiary of the bribing system. The former customs worker also stated that the main bribe collecting tools were head of customs and shift foremen.

He also said that Marica demanded the head of the National Customs Authority to hire people in exchange for "keeping quiet", otherwise he would launch union protests and would get the media involved.

Pro Lex president Vasile Lincu, who organized the press conference, also stated that the customs corruption scheme, shaped by the media as a chess board, had been in place ever since the time when the National Customs Authority was headed by Nini Sapunaru.

The fore-mentioned authority has suffered changes over the years, showing that bribe was taken when authorizing customs commissioners companies according to customs procedures, but also when effectuating further customs controls or when using monitoring services.

President Traian Băsescu declared in an interview offered to the daily România Liberă, with concern to the situation at the customs, that he was afraid that ‘the queen is one of the trade union leaders’, but he pointed that it could not be a fact until the arrested ones confess.

Traian Băsescu argued, based on the information obtained from the secret services, that no money transfer transactions on behalf of politicians were discovered.

Sed Lex leader denies the accusations

Sed Lex president Vasile Marica denied all accusations brought by Marius Ungureanu, in a phone call made to a Romanian television, stating that the former customs worker had no evidence against him.

"I know him well, he was the largest cigarette smuggler. He tried to contact me several times but he ended up getting himself fired by Nini Săpunaru. He puts the blame on me, when it comes to his arrestment", Vasile Marica stated.

Vasile Marica takes this personally and states that Marius Ungureanu will take responsibility for "everything that has happened".

The recently operations at the customs led to the arrest of several customs workers, as well as the dismissal of the head of the National Customs Authority Radu Traian Mărginean, as per vice-president Emil Boc’s request.

Translated by: Mihaela Grigoraş
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University

Romanian heroes fallen in service commemorated in Oarba de Mures
News in English 23 Aprilie 2025, 22:47

Romanian heroes fallen in service commemorated in Oarba de Mures

Romanian heroes who fell on the Western Front were commemorated on Wednesday in Oarba de Mures, 80 years after the end of...

Romanian heroes fallen in service commemorated in Oarba de Mures
Bucharest citizens will be able to apply for an electronic ID card
News in English 23 Aprilie 2025, 22:46

Bucharest citizens will be able to apply for an electronic ID card

Bucharest residents can start applying for an electronic ID card from Thursday. Appointments can only be made online, and the...

Bucharest citizens will be able to apply for an electronic ID card
IMF cuts its growth estimates for the Romanian economy
News in English 22 Aprilie 2025, 23:15

IMF cuts its growth estimates for the Romanian economy

The International Monetary Fund has lowered its growth forecast for the Romanian economy this year to 1.6%, down from 3.3% in...

IMF cuts its growth estimates for the Romanian economy
EC: TikTok has made extra preparations to better manage the May elections
News in English 22 Aprilie 2025, 23:14

EC: TikTok has made extra preparations to better manage the May elections

The European Commission is continuing to work with the online platform TikTok to ensure that there will be no breaches of EU...

EC: TikTok has made extra preparations to better manage the May elections
The fire in Arges "could not have started by natural causes"
News in English 21 Aprilie 2025, 19:01

The fire in Arges "could not have started by natural causes"

The IGAV's two Black Hawk helicopters withdrew last night after dropping 240 tons of water, a vital aid because the...

The fire in Arges "could not have started by natural causes"
Financing guide under the "Rabla for tractors" program published
News in English 21 Aprilie 2025, 19:00

Financing guide under the "Rabla for tractors" program published

This week, another necessary step of the "Rabla for tractors" program was completed - the publication of the...

Financing guide under the "Rabla for tractors" program published
A new multinational exercise on Romanian territory
News in English 17 Aprilie 2025, 21:30

A new multinational exercise on Romanian territory

Around 4.000 soldiers, with over 900 technical means, from 10 allied countries will take part next month in a new...

A new multinational exercise on Romanian territory
The National Audiovisual Council has removed several videos posted online
News in English 17 Aprilie 2025, 21:29

The National Audiovisual Council has removed several videos posted online

The National Audiovisual Council has removed in recent days a number of illegal online materials from TikTok, Facebook and X....

The National Audiovisual Council has removed several videos posted online