Ilie Bolojan questioned at DNA Iași as witness in Fănel Bogos influence case

Witness appearance at anti-corruption directorate

Interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan arrived at the Iași headquarters of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) on Friday morning, 2 October 2026. Investigators summoned the head of government as a witness in a criminal case centered on businessman Fănel Bogos. Prosecutors are examining the circumstances of a meeting held between Bolojan and Bogos at the government headquarters in Bucharest. Upon his arrival in Iași, Bolojan declined to answer questions from reporters waiting outside the building. The investigation focuses on allegations of buying influence and instigation to blackmail surrounding attempts to intervene in state regulatory bodies.

Investigation into alleged intermediary payments

Anti-corruption prosecutors allege that Bogos paid 1.5 million euros to intermediaries, including former Vaslui county National Liberal Party leader Mihai Barbu, to secure access to the prime minister's office. Investigators state that Bogos sought the meeting to request the dismissal of Mihai Ponea, the director of the Vaslui Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate (DSVSA). The dispute originated in September 2024, when DSVSA Vaslui ordered the culling of 230,000 birds at poultry farms owned by Bogos following a detected salmonella outbreak. Bogos was detained on 5 November 2025 and held in preventive custody until March 2026, when judicial authorities transferred him to judicial control. On 10 September 2026, prosecutors conducted further hearings in the case, questioning both Bogos and the president of the Vaslui County Council.

Statements from Bolojan and Bogos

Bolojan addressed the meeting publicly on 28 August 2026, maintaining that he handled the interaction according to standard administrative procedures and rejected any improper requests.

“A person came to an audience, stated his grievances, we were supposed to have another type of discussion, I noted what he told me, but aside from this discussion there was no other matter that would mean someone had to give money to enter my office or that someone suffered because someone entered my office.”

Bogos also spoke on 1 October 2026, denying that any money was discussed during his meeting at the Victoria Palace. The businessman stated that his visit was aimed at reporting abusive regional inspections rather than seeking personnel dismissals.

“I explained to him what problems I have and I did not ask him for anything. I asked him, sir, to come, to carry out controls as much as they want, but not to nitpick.”

Bogos added that he had visited between 10 and 12 political figures across various institutions over time to report what he described as targeted administrative harassment.

Political reactions from the opposition

The summons generated reactions from the opposition party Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), which issued a formal statement on 1 October 2026. Party representatives accused President Nicușor Dan of using the judicial system to exert pressure on Bolojan ahead of political consultations at the Cotroceni Palace. AUR linked the timing of the DNA hearing to the recent rejection of the proposed government led by Siegfried Mureșan and Bolojan's subsequent endorsement of snap parliamentary elections.

“Even if we are political competitors of Ilie Bolojan and have harshly criticized his governance, we cannot fail to notice this coincidence. Justice must not be used to settle political relations. Bolojan must answer for any deed if there is evidence, but criminal files cannot become means by which a political leader is determined to give up a certain position.”

AUR argued that prosecutors should operate solely on evidence without interfering in political negotiations regarding the formation of the next cabinet. The party demanded that the ongoing institutional crisis be resolved through snap elections rather than judicial pressure on cabinet contenders.