General Vlad Gheorghiță, Chief of the Defence Staff of the Romanian Army, has been named a suspect by military prosecutors from Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate, the country’s main anticorruption prosecution body, in a case concerning alleged abuse of office linked to state-funded university admissions.
The case does not concern weapons procurement, military contracts or Romania’s access to European defence funds. Still, it comes at a politically sensitive moment, as Romania prepares to manage one of the largest defence financing packages in the European Union under the SAFE mechanism, amid growing public pressure for transparency in military spending.
Romania’s Anticorruption Prosecutors Target the Army’s Top Officer
Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate, known locally as DNA, is the specialised prosecution office responsible for investigating high-level corruption cases involving public officials, state institutions and public funds.
According to prosecutors, General Gheorghiță is being investigated for alleged complicity in abuse of office. The file is handled by the Military Section of the National Anticorruption Directorate, as the case involves senior military officials.
The accusations relate to a request made in July 2025 for additional budget-funded places at the National University of Physical Education and Sport in Bucharest.
The Case Concerns University Admissions, Not Defence Contracts
Prosecutors say General Vlad Gheorghiță allegedly facilitated the issuance and signing of a request addressed to the Ministry of Education. The document was allegedly signed by Lieutenant General Iulian Berdilă, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff for Operations and Training.
The request concerned the addition of budget-funded places at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport within the National University of Physical Education and Sport Bucharest.
According to prosecutors, the request exceeded the legal authority of the officials involved because such a procedure fell under the competence of the General Directorate for Human Resources Management, a central structure within Romania’s Ministry of National Defence.
Following the request, 20 additional budget-funded places were allegedly approved. Candidates who had initially been admitted on tuition-paying places were moved to the newly created state-funded places. Prosecutors argue that this created an undue benefit for the 20 candidates.
Three of those candidates were reportedly expected to be hired as officers within the Ministry of National Defence after completing their studies.
Prosecutors Claim Institutional Harm to the Defence Ministry
The alleged harm identified by prosecutors concerns the institutional interests of Romania’s Ministry of National Defence.
According to the case presented by the anticorruption prosecutors, the alleged abuse affected institutional relations and the proper application of legal procedures within the ministry.
At this stage, the accusations remain part of an ongoing criminal investigation. General Gheorghiță has been informed of his procedural status as a suspect under Romania’s Criminal Procedure Code.
General Gheorghiță Made No Public Statement
General Vlad Gheorghiță appeared at the headquarters of the National Anticorruption Directorate in civilian clothes and did not make statements to the press.
He has not publicly commented on the accusations. His official public communication channels have not included a statement on the case.
General Gheorghiță has served as Chief of the Defence Staff since November 2023. He is the highest-ranking military official in the Romanian Army and previously served as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff.
The Case Comes During a Sensitive Moment for Romania’s Defence Sector
Although the investigation is not connected to Romania’s defence procurement programme, it appears against the background of a broader public debate over military spending, transparency and the use of European funds for defence.
Romania is expected to benefit from approximately EUR 16.68 billion under the European Union’s SAFE mechanism, one of the largest allocations in the bloc. The programme is designed to support defence procurement, military technology, infrastructure modernisation and strategic industrial capacity.
The EU-wide SAFE instrument has a total value of EUR 150 billion and is structured as long-term financing for member states. Romania’s allocation is among the largest in Europe, second only to Poland’s.
The programme is expected to remain operational until the end of 2030.
Political Accusations Around SAFE Contracts Add Pressure
Romania’s defence financing has already become the subject of political accusations.
George Simion, leader of the AUR alliance, publicly claimed in May 2026 that all 15 SAFE-related contracts “smell like corruption.” He accused the ruling coalition of failing to disclose enough information about the contracts and suggested that too much of the money would go to foreign defence companies rather than Romania’s national defence industry.
The companies mentioned in the public debate include major European defence contractors, particularly Germany’s Rheinmetall.
There is no official indication that the investigation into General Vlad Gheorghiță is linked to the SAFE programme, Rheinmetall, military procurement or weapons contracts.
That distinction is essential: the current criminal case concerns university admissions and budget-funded education places, not defence purchases.
However, the investigation risks intensifying public distrust at a moment when Romania is preparing to handle major defence investments and politically sensitive procurement decisions.
Presumption of Innocence Remains Essential
The opening or continuation of a criminal investigation does not establish guilt. Under Romanian law, being named a suspect means that prosecutors believe there are grounds to investigate a person’s possible involvement in a criminal offence, but the case remains subject to evidence, defence arguments and judicial review.
General Vlad Gheorghiță remains presumed innocent unless and until a final court decision establishes otherwise.
The case is likely to remain closely watched because of the rank of the official involved, the institutional sensitivity of the Ministry of National Defence and the wider debate over integrity in Romania’s defence sector.
Valahia News will continue to monitor the investigation and will update the story if the National Anticorruption Directorate, the Ministry of National Defence or the persons involved issue further official statements.
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