Former Environment minister Aurel Costin Ilie, who served in the 2000-2004 Social Democratic government, is heard by anti-graft prosecutors in a case related to land concessions in downtown Bucharest. Even though some 183 acres of land were requested by their rightful owners, local authorities granted those lands to an Australian real estate company while Ilie served as a minister.

The real estate project planned to build some houses, sports fields and casinos.

The lands were passed to state ownership through a governmental emergency ordinance in order to be subject of a concession to the Australian firm.