Romania's PM to remain despite corruption probe

Romania’s prime minister has said he considered resigning after being told he was a suspect in a corruption probe but decided to stay on to ensure political stability.

Victor Ponta said the resignation of his government would cause a “political crisis ... of three, four, five months”.

Parliament is to vote today on whether to lift his immunity protection for the corruption probe.

On June 5, anti-corruption prosecutors said Mr Ponta was suspected of corruption charges including being an accomplice to tax evasion from 2007 to 2008 while serving in Parliament, a conflict of interest and money laundering. President Klaus Iohannis has called for Mr Ponta’s resignation.

Mr Ponta told foreign media today that he would co-operate with prosecutors and denied wrongdoing, adding that he would have resigned if he were a minister.