Iulian Petcu, ex board manager of the SC Agriful SRL Sibiu, who unveiled information about the Italians' company. After having been driven away from the business, he recounted how he had met with minister David at the Marriott Hotel, when the latter official headed the control body. The governmental official promised the Italians support in their lawsuit against the Romanian state in exchange to help to get rid of minister Gheorghe Flutur, uneasy for the Tariceanu Cabinet. Petcu claims he talked to Commissioner Frattini's men and the former minister, now a leader of the Liberal-Democrat Party, was sacked. Minister David provided the Italians with a favorable report that they used in court. Parallel talks with Attila Verestoy took place. The latter is a leader of the Democrat Union of Magyars in Romania and he persuaded the president of the ADS Barna Tanczos, also a representative of the state in the trial against SC Agriful SRL Sibiu, into closing his eyes. The effect of it? The Italian mafia men grabbed the largest agriculture enterprise in Transylvania, although breaking the privatization contract. Petcu comments: "There were backstage arrangements. (...) They were possible because the system in Romania is diseased, because people in charge of decisions are very easy to blackmail and buy." (...)

Silviu ALUPEI