Romania: corrupt purchases of Covid vaccines?
The National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) of Romania has announced it is launching an investigation against two former health ministers, Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă, as well as former prime minister Florin Cîţu for abuse of office. They are suspected of having procured far more Covid vaccine doses than necessary during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, causing billions in losses for the state. The national press takes stock.
Scrutinise all those involved in decision-making
More people should be involved in the investigation, Spotmedia says:
“The DNA investigation is important because many citizens had complained during the pandemic about significant deficiencies in the organisation of medical treatment and equipment, the measures taken to protect the population, the vaccination strategy and the lack of transparency in the crisis management. There are many unanswered questions, and such an enquiry should shed light on confused and undemocratic decisions on matters of life and death during the pandemic. ... An enquiry is necessary, but it must encompass all the actors who had powers and made decisions.”
A credibility test
G4media.ro examines claims that chief investigator George Adrian Matei is biased:
“The problem with the investigator does not seem to be his political independence. His vulnerability lies elsewhere: in his personal subjectivity. Prosecutor Matei is known to be a staunch anti-vaxxer. Presshub has written about this, and others have confirmed this information vis-à-vis G4media.ro. ... If this is the case, the entire structure of the investigation is called into question. Is the prosecutor trying to use these allegations to support his personal theories about the vaccine and vaccination? This case is a good test of the credibility of the DNA.”