Bucharest mayor Ciprian Ciucu said on Wednesday, July 1, that he is innocent of the bribery charges brought against him by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), saying he has “nothing to hide” and no concerns because he knows he did not accept a bribe. The mayor made the remarks after being placed under judicial supervision in a case linked to alleged corruption involving a real estate development.
Speaking after signing the judicial supervision documents on Wednesday morning, Ciucu said he would fully cooperate with prosecutors throughout the investigation.
“I am confident, I have nothing to hide, I am cooperating with them, I will comply with the judicial supervision measures, and we move forward,” mayor Ciucu said, as quoted by Agerpres. ”Obviously, this is not an easy period for me or for my family, but because I know I did not take a bribe, I have no concerns. […] I was not aware of such things, so from my point of view, I am innocent. From what I have managed to see in the case file, I am absolutely confident.”
According to DNA, the allegations relate to November 2025, when Ciprian Ciucu was serving as mayor of Bucharest’s District 6. Prosecutors suspect that two businessmen allegedly provided him with undue benefits in the form of advertising and electoral consulting services intended to support his political and electoral activities. In exchange, prosecutors say the benefits were linked to administrative procedures concerning an urban planning certificate and a building permit for a real estate project in Bucharest.
The prosecutors also charged the two businessmen with bribery and another businessman with complicity in bribery, alleging he facilitated the arrangement. All four suspects have been placed under judicial supervision, while prosecutors stressed that the criminal proceedings are ongoing and that all defendants benefit from the presumption of innocence.
While under judicial supervision, Ciprian Ciucu and the three businessmen must comply with several obligations, including appearing before prosecutors whenever summoned, notifying authorities of any change of residence, and remaining within the territorial limits established by prosecutors unless they receive prior judicial approval.
The case against mayor Ciucu emerged from a broader corruption investigation targeting Romania’s National Gambling Office (ONJN). In that investigation, DNA prosecutors arrested two suspects, including a Bulgarian citizen accused of bribery and another individual accused of complicity in bribery and other corruption-related offenses.
According to prosecutors, as reported by Agerpres, the National Gambling Office investigation began in August 2025 and concerns alleged payments made between November 2025 and June 2026 to a public official in exchange for speeding up or delaying official procedures, providing access to confidential documents, and influencing inspections involving a gambling operator.
DNA said evidence uncovered during the gambling office investigation pointed to additional suspected corruption offenses, prompting prosecutors to open a separate criminal case at the beginning of December 2025, in which Ciprian Ciucu was subsequently charged.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)
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