Romanian Fmr Envoy Fears Standing Trial In Singapore For Hit-And-Run

"I knew I was in danger in Singapore, but it never crossed my mind that local authorities would go that far. Romania's Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Prosecutors' General Office told me about the international arrest warrant against me," Ionescu said.

The former envoy said he forwarded to Romania's Government, during his diplomatic term, several secret documents regarding the situation in Singapore, adding he will provide more details on the matter during a future trial.

Ionescu said the accident in Singapore was a setup of the Singaporean Government which was bothered he told the world the truth.

The former envoy said he asked Romanian former Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu to remove him from office and appoint him envoy somewhere else.

He said he is not hiding behind diplomatic immunity, but will neither leave the country until the international arrest warrant ids cancelled. The former envoy said he fears he might be hanged if he returned to Singapore to face trial.

Ionescu said the Singaporean Government breached the Vienna Convention regarding diplomatic relations, adding he will demand moral claims.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore asked the Romanian Government Thursday to do what it can to persuade Ionescu to return to Singapore to stand trial or investigate and prosecute him under Romanian law.

In response to Ionescu's statement that he would be hanged if re returned to Singapore, a spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in press release the statement is a complete "red herring" as none of the charges against Ionescu is a capital offence.

The ministry said Singapore has informed the Romanian authorities that they have an obligation to ensure that Ionescu, who has only been suspended but not dismissed from the Romanian Foreign Ministry, refrains from making outrageous and inappropriate statements.

The Singaporean Attorney-General's Chambers prepared a set of 13 charges against Ionescu, after a Coroner's Court found he was driving an embassy car and hit three pedestrians, killing one.

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