The mayor of Constanța, Vergil Chiţac, prosecuted by the DNA for abuse of office after the institution he leads allegedly made illegal payments from the town hall’s budget, says that the contract to finance the third round of the UIM XCAT World Speed Boat Championship invoked by prosecutors was approved by the decision of the City Council and has a preventive financial control visa. He claims that the money was not transferred to Monaco, as DNA says, but to the account of the Romanian Yachting Federation, through the Constanta Municipal Sports Club.
“I have taken note of the content of the DNA press release regarding the file whose subject is the financing of the third round of the UIM XCAT world speed boat championship recently organized in Mamaia, the first two rounds organized in Italy, and the last two to be organized in Dubai . Competition comparable to Formula 1 on land.
In the DNA press release, it is claimed that the financing of the sports competition was carried out without a contract, without a public selection procedure and without a report from the specialized department.
In reality, there is a financing contract approved by HCL 162/27.04.2023, there is a specialist report that was the basis for the approval of the mentioned HCL, there is also a preventive financial control visa, without which I never signed any payment.
Specifically, in accordance with law no. 69/2000 (sports law), art. 181, paragraph 2 letter D, a sports program held within the Constanța Municipality and organized by the Romanian Yachting Federation was financed by the Constanța City Hall .
The amount was transferred, through CSM Constanța, to the account of the Romanian YACHTING Federation. Not in Monaco.
I have made available to the DNA all the mentioned documents and the entire financing documentation carried out, according to the law.
I would like to maintain a dignified and fair attitude towards this investigation, which includes refraining, as much as possible, from further comments from me in the public space, at least on this subject,” says a press release issued by Constanța City Hall.
Chițac was called by the National Anticorruption Directorate for hearings, after the prosecutors searched the town hall. He is being prosecuted for abuse of office after the institution he leads allegedly made illegal payments from the town hall’s budget. On leaving the DNA headquarters, Vergil Chiţac stated that the illegal payments have nothing to do with the mayor’s office.
What the DNA prosecutors say
“During 2023, on the occasion of a sports event, organized in the Municipality of Constanţa by an association formed by five entities (of which the City Hall of the Municipality of Constanţa, the Municipal Sports Club (CSM) Constanța, the Romanian Yachting Federation (FRY) and a commercial company based in Monaco), the suspect Chiţac Vergil, in the capacity mentioned above, benefiting from the help of the other two persons and in violation of the provisions of the primary legislation, would have approved the full financing of the entire event”, according to a statement sent Thursday by DNA.
The financing of the sports competition would have been achieved without a financing contract that was awarded following a public selection procedure and without a preventive financial control visa or any report from the specialized department.
“Whereas, through the “agreement” of some of the parties, it would have been established that the money resulting from the financing would reach the accounts of the commercial company, based in Monaco (provided that it would not have performed any well-defined activity within the respective event) , the suspect Andrei Talpeş allegedly exerted coercion on some people from the management of the Romanian Yachting Federation in order to induce them to make a payment in the amount of approximately 290,000 euros to the respective company”, the statement states.
The prosecutors claim that a total of 1,728,000 lei were transferred to the accounts of the commercial company based in Monaco, an amount that represents a loss for Constanța City Hall.
In the same file, Alin Vintilă, executive director of Constanţa City Hall (complicity in abuse of office) and Andrei Talpeş, president of the Constanţa Municipal Sports Club (complicity in abuse of office and blackmail) are also being prosecuted.
Editor : A.C.
