Brokerage firm Equity Invest in Bucharest, in which formereconomy minister Adriean Videanu holds 24%, brokered transactionsworth 55.7 million lei (13 million euros), climbing to the 13thposition of the brokers' ranking, with the company brokeringaverage transactions worth 2 million euros monthly last year.
The listing of Fondul Proprietatea (FP) on January 25, saw bigstakes change hands and changed the usual ranking of brokers, withbrokerage firms fighting over big clients by lowering feessignificantly. Transactions with FP shares amounted to 550 millionlei (130 million euros) in January, accounting for over 56% of theoverall Stock Exchange transfers.
The company's management says the firm mainly brokered FP shareslast month.
"Yes, we preponderantly traded Fondul Proprietatea shares. Thetransactions were conducted by individual clients who sold throughus after we cut fees significantly," explained Gabriel Gheorghe,general manager of Equity Invest.
The other shareholders of Equity Invest are Raul Doicescu, owner ofBog'Art construction company, Sida Ionescu, wife of former FPS(State Property Fund) director Gheorghe 'Bebe' Ionescu, and TiberiuBică-Postelnicu, former partner of billionaire Ioan Niculae inAsirom, each with 24% of the shares.
Videanu, currently first vice-president of PDL, is one of thepoliticians whose names are connected to Fondul Proprietatea.
Videanu does not hold shares in Fondul Proprietatea in his ownname, according to his personal financial disclosure statementsubmitted in September, when he ended his term as a minister. Hecould not be contacted for comment.
Even after he resigned from his position as economy minister,Videanu retained his influence in the FP.
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