The head of Romania's governing leftist party, who has already been convicted of voter fraud, proclaimed his innocence Tuesday as he went on trial charged with abuse of power.
"This case is based on false testimonies," Liviu Dragnea from the Social Democrats (PSD) told reporters outside the court in Bucharest, which adjourned the trial until February 14.
The new charges against Dragnea, 54, relate to when he was president of Teleorman county council in southern Romania from 2006-12. Last year he was given a suspended jail sentence for voter fraud in 2012.
In December, the PSD romped to victory in general elections but President Klaus Iohannis refused to appoint him as prime minister because of his conviction. Instead Sorin Grindeanu was nominated on December 30.
Grindeanu has since then published two emergency decrees that critics say will free corrupt officials from prison and decriminalise other offences. The government says it wants to reduce prison overcrowding.
The decrees, which the government wants to enact without parliamentary approval, have sparked anger in Romania with tens of thousands of people taking to streets in protest last Sunday.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm which has long been critical of Romania's record on corruption since the ex-communist country joined the European Union in 2007, last week expressed concern.
The head of Romania’s governing leftist party, who has already been convicted of voter fraud, proclaimed his innocence Tuesday as he went on trial charged with abuse of power.
“This case is based on false testimonies,” Liviu Dragnea from the Social Democrats (PSD) told reporters outside the court in Bucharest, which adjourned the trial until February 14.
The new charges against Dragnea, 54, relate to when he was president of Teleorman county council in southern Romania from 2006-12. Last year he was given a suspended jail sentence for voter fraud in 2012.
In December, the PSD romped to victory in general elections but President Klaus Iohannis refused to appoint him as prime minister because of his conviction. Instead Sorin Grindeanu was nominated on December 30.
Grindeanu has since then published two emergency decrees that critics say will free corrupt officials from prison and decriminalise other offences. The government says it wants to reduce prison overcrowding.
The decrees, which the government wants to enact without parliamentary approval, have sparked anger in Romania with tens of thousands of people taking to streets in protest last Sunday.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm which has long been critical of Romania’s record on corruption since the ex-communist country joined the European Union in 2007, last week expressed concern.
