Dan Barna, heard at the DNA regarding the purchase of anti-COVID vaccines during the period when he was deputy prime minister: "The subject, at least bizarre"

USR MEP Dan Barna was heard on Friday at the DNA as a witness in the case of the COVID vaccine purchases, made during his term as Deputy Prime Minister in the Ciucă government.

Barna stated that the subject is bizarre, comparing it to the purchase of tanks during wartime, and emphasized that Romania purchased similarly to other European countries in the face of pandemic uncertainty.

"The subject itself seems at least bizarre to me, it’s as if, in wartime situations, you buy 100 tanks and then peace comes and you accuse those who bought the tanks of why they bought them. It’s exactly the same thing. As for the rest, the contextual elements will probably be clarified," commented Dan Barna.

We remind that the DNA case regarding the purchases of anti-COVID vaccines was opened in 2023. Prosecutors are investigating how Romania ordered a larger number of doses than were used during the pandemic.

The investigation includes former Prime Minister Florin Ciucă, former Health Ministers Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihăilă, as well as Andrei Baciu, former Secretary of State in the Ministry of Health.

Romania has to pay Pfizer over 700 million euros for ordered vaccines. In July 2026, Pfizer moved to enforce the Romanian state and blocked ROMATSA's accounts to recover the owed amount.