The Romanian senate speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu was acquitted by the High Court in a case in which he was tried for making false statements under oath, News.ro reported on May 22.

The perjury probe concerned an illegal land restitution case, which caused financial damage to the Romanian state of more than €135mn. The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) prosecutors claimed Tariceanu, a former prime minister (2004-2008), did not disclose the truth about the case to Prince Paul of Romania.

DNA prosecutors claimed that all of Taricreanu's statements have been contradicted by evidence uncovered in the case, as well as by other testimony.​

Earlier in May, the Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors asked for a three-year sentence for the Senate speaker.

Tariceanu, a harsh critic of the DNA, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Following the court’s ruling, he referred once again to the existence of a “parallel state” which he claimed "has been working freely for more than 10 years".

Lately, politicians being investigated in various cases have been talking publicly about a "parallel state" reportedly including the Romanian intelligence agency (SRI) and the DNA, which they say is seeking to take control of the state’s power structures. 

Meanwhile, the court is expected to rule soon in the case of ruling party leader Liviu Dragnea, who is being tried for instigation to abuse of power and instigation to forgery when drawing up documents.