Romania minister prepares decree to invalidate graft cases

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's justice minister said Monday that he has prepared an emergency decree that could invalidate hundreds of corruption cases involving the country's most senior officials.

Tudorel Toader is to meet later in the day with Prime Minister Viorica Dancila to discuss the ordinance. It could lead to the suspension of trials and verdicts as well as retrials, including in the case of Liviu Dragnea, chairman of the ruling Social Democrats, who has twice been convicted but denies wrongdoing.

The convictions bar him from being prime minister, although he effectively controls the government.