Schengen-Hopeful Romania Sacks Customs Head

Romania's PM Emil Boc fired the head of the country's Customs Agency, Radu Marginean, against whom the the Prosecutor's Office launched a criminal investigation on corruption allegations.

Marginean was dismissed by the Romanian Prime Minister on Wednesday and will be charged with taking a EUR 400 000 bribe in exchange for appointing a new chief at the Halmeu Customs, as the government's spokesperson Ioana Muntean announced on Wednesday.

Marginean, 59, who was also vice president of the National Agency for Fiscal Administration, had been the head of the National Customs Authority since 2009

In the beginning of February, seventy-seven customs officials and border police were arrested on suspicion of corruption. They allegedly took bribes in exchange for turning a blind eye to cigarette smuggling.

Bulgaria and Romania, which have been coupled ever since their joint accession to the European Union in 2007, aim to enter the border-less zone in March this year, claiming that all requirements for it had been met.

Accession is uncertain, however, since a report on the security of Bulgaria's frontier with Turkey was negative.

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