The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) is leading an investigation into suspected corruption and procurement fraud related to the acquisition of medical equipment, with searches carried out in Bucharest, Brașov and Mureș last week, according to eppo.europa.eu.
The investigation concerns a public procurement procedure for medical equipment worth approximately €1.5 million, conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Based on the evidence, the tender specifications were allegedly tailored to favour a specific company, which ultimately won the contract.
It is suspected that representatives of the company offered bribes to public officials of the Brașov County Emergency Hospital, in exchange for ensuring that the procurement procedure was arranged in their favour. In addition, civil servants involved in the procurement process are believed to have requested and received approximately 5% of the contract value.
During the searches, evidence, including documents and electronic devices, was gathered.
The investigation is being carried out with the support of the EPPO Support Structure in Romania (Structura de sprijin a procurorilor europeni delegați în România), the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police – Directorate for Investigating Economic Crime (Inspectoratul General al Poliției Române – Direcția de Investigare a Criminalității Economice), as well as the County Police Inspectorates of Brașov and Mureș.
All persons concerned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the competent Romanian courts of law.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
The state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic provided a fertile ground for rapid, high-value contracts. Years later, the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and other judicial bodies continue to prosecute cases involving the acquisition of non-compliant masks, faulty ventilators, and overpriced protective equipment that allegedly drained the national budget.
The legal offensive against systemic corruption
In the years following the 2020-2021 crisis, Romanian prosecutors have opened dozens of criminal files targeting both public officials and private intermediaries. The primary suspicion in these cases is that under the guise of “emergency procedures,” legal safeguards were bypassed to favor specific companies, often resulting in the delivery of equipment that failed to meet safety standards.
According to periodic reports from the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), the investigations focus on several key areas:
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Abuse of office: Officials allegedly favoring certain firms in exchange for financial benefits.
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Bribery: Money trails linked to the awarding of lucrative contracts for masks and testing kits.
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Influence peddling: Intermediaries claiming to have leverage over decision-makers in the Ministry of Health or Unifarm.
Key figures and institutional impact
One of the most prominent institutions under the magnifying glass has been Unifarm, the state-owned medical distributor. Investigations revealed that massive quantities of protective equipment were purchased at prices significantly higher than the market rate, or from suppliers that lacked the necessary certifications to provide medical-grade materials.
| Investigation Focus | Nature of Allegations | Institutional Involvement |
| Mask procurement | Import of non-compliant FFP2/FFP3 masks. | Unifarm / Ministry of Economy |
| Ventilator contracts | Pre-payments for equipment that was never delivered. | IGSU / Strategic Communication Group |
| Testing kits | Inflated prices and questionable accuracy of rapid tests. | Local County Hospitals |
| Vaccination centers | Irregularities in the management of logistical funds. | Local Authorities |
The cost of non-compliance
Beyond the financial loss—estimated by some judicial sources at tens of millions of euros—the human cost has been a central theme in these investigations. Prosecutors have highlighted that providing frontline medical workers with faulty masks or substandard protective gear was not just a financial crime, but a direct threat to public health.
The Romanian Court of Accounts has supported these judicial efforts by publishing audit reports that flagged significant discrepancies in how emergency funds were allocated. These reports often serve as the foundation for broader criminal inquiries.
Current status of the proceedings (2026)
As of early 2026, many of these high-profile cases have reached the trial stage. While some initial sentences have been handed down, the complexity of the international money trails—often involving offshore accounts in Asia or Western Europe—has led to lengthy legal battles.
The ongoing nature of these files serves as a reminder of the challenges inherent in emergency governance. Public activists and judicial observers emphasize that the resolution of these cases is crucial for restoring public trust in state institutions and ensuring that future crises are managed with greater transparency.
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