Romania court postpones verdict for leader in graft trial

BUCHAREST, Romania – A Romanian court has postponed for the third time a verdict in the trial of the country’s most powerful politician on misconduct charges.

The High Court for Cassation and Justice said Friday it would issue a ruling June 21 for Liviu Dragnea, chairman of the ruling Social Democratic Party.

Prosecutors accuse Dragnea, at the time a government official, of intervening from 2006-2012 to keep two women on the payroll of a family welfare agency, even though they were working for his party instead. The women have confirmed the scheme.

Prosecutors have asked for a 7-1/2-year sentence for Dragnea, who denies wrongdoing. He can’t be premier due to a previous conviction for vote-rigging.

Prosecutors dropped charges against Dragnea’s ex-wife, a manager at the family welfare agency, after she paid damages.