Romanian Jus Min OKs Launch Of Criminal Probe Against Eight Dignitaries

However, Melescanu refused to take any responsibility in the case, the justice ministry said in a statement.

“The interim justice minister Teodor Melescanu took over the position with the clear intent to fully-observe the law and he sticks to his intention, including in the case involving the eight former and acting ministers against whom legal procedures were requested,” the statement noted.

President Traian Basescu on Monday urged Melescanu to send the notices on the start of criminal investigation against eight high-ranking officials to the Prosecutors’ Office or he might be accused of abuse of office.

Basescu sent Melescanu a letter stating he was informed of the refusal of the justice minister to send his notices on the start of criminal pursuit against the ministers to the Prosecutors’ Office.

Basescu last week asked Melescanu to start criminal investigation against Adrian Nastase, former prime minister between 2000 and 2004, Miron Mitrea, former transportation minister between 2000-2004, former justice minister Tudor Chiuariu, acting labor minister Paul Pacuraru, acting IT&C minister Zsolt Nagy, politician Victor Babiuc, former economy minister Codrut Seres and former agriculture minister Traian Decebal Remes.

Melescanu refused to start the procedures to criminally investigate the eight dignitaries because he felt that the documents Basescu sent do not constitute “the case files” he requested based on ministry laws, but only copies of the documents.

Therefore, Melescanu sent back to the president the envelopes bearing the president’s seal, without opening them.

Basescu asked Melescanu to observe the Constitution and the independence of the justice sector and to immediately start investigating the ministers, or he may be accused of abuse of office.

The president said the justice minister does not have the right to question the legitimacy of the documents sent by the President’s Office.

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