Romania's Liviu Dragnea files ECJ lawsuit against European Commission after corruption claims

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Romania’s most powerful politician has filed a lawsuit against Brussels after claims of corruption involving EU funds.

The country’s anti-corruption directorate (DNA) accused Liviu Dragnea, leader of the ruling Social Democrats (PSD), of a €21 million scam.

It based its accusations against Dragnea on investigations by the European Commission’s anti-fraud office, OLAF.

Dragnea rejects the claims and has now moved to sue the commission because it is OLAF’s supervisory body, reported AFP.

The case has been filed at the European Court of Justice but a spokeswoman said no further details were available at this stage.

DNA said the EU-funds fraud was linked to a road construction firm called Tel Drum.

Last November, investigative journalists claimed a suitcase full of documents discarded in a rural Romanian field linked Dragnea to Tel Drum.

The clash between Dragnea and Brussels comes after Romania — ranked by Transparency International as one of the most corrupt countries in the bloc — took control of the EU’s rotating presidency on January 1.