The Minister of Energy, Bogdan Ivan, announced on Thursday that he had ordered the start of an investigation into the fact that Hidroelectrica had been providing free electricity to commercial companies and religious institutions for several years in a row.

Ivan was asked what he thought about the Recorder investigation and how it was possible for Hidroelectrica to supply electricity to commercial companies and religious institutions for years without receiving a single RON.

„Yesterday I summoned the Minister’s Control Body, an investigation is to begin today and I am to sign the order immediately after I finish the Government meeting. I no longer accept it. I am not interested in who those people are, nor those who gave or took energy without being billed. It is a defiance towards every Romanian that we still have these tricksters who have made fun of state companies, (…) for whom energy can be free, while today Romanians pay the most expensive bills in all of Europe. So, as long as I am at this ministry, I will clean up. Despite the anger of some or the others, I am interested in cleaning up such practices, and the Control Body will shed light,” declared Bogdan Ivan, in a press conference held at CET Progresul together with the mayor of Sector 4, Daniel Baluta, PSD candidate in the elections for Mayor of the Capital.

He stressed that if those found guilty will be brought to justice. „There is a report from the Court of Auditors, I have also requested the Court of Auditors’ report and I have asked the Control Body for a very clear verification on this subject. If violations of the law are found, regardless of the consequences, regardless of those involved, all those guilty will be brought to justice,” the Minister of Energy said.AGERPRES