Labor Minister Says Wife To Quit Position As Adviser On EU-Funded Project

04.19.2011 By Ioana Tudor

Romanian Labor Minister Ioan Botis said Tuesday his wife will quit her position as adviser to a EU and Government-funded project, amid allegations of a possible conflict of interest.

Romanian Labor Minister Ioan Botis said Tuesday his wife will quit her position as adviser to a EU and Government-funded project, amid allegations of a possible conflict of interest.

The minister said neither he nor his wife are founders or members of the NGO which runs the project.

He reiterated he will resign if the National Integrity Agency (ANI), which is checking his wealth, establishes he is in a conflict of interest.

Botis told MEDIAFAX Monday he is in no way tied to the NGO that received EU funds.

He said there is no conflict of interest but he is willing to resign if the issue affects the image of the ruling Democratic Liberal Party.

The Antifraud Department (DLAF) said in a press release Tuesday it is investigating a "possible conflict of interest" in the EU- and Government-funded project run by the Bistrita-Nasaud county-based NGO Asociatia EuroActiv, which employs the minister's wife.