USR informed the European Commission, drawing attention to the “disturbing and unjustified actions” of the prosecutor, respectively the chief prosecutor of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA), regarding the accusation of former ministers of Romania’s participation in the procurement of anti-covid-19 vaccines, “despite the lack of evidence or reasonable suspicion of corruption” .

Katalin Drula, President of the USSR Photo: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea

In an official letter addressed to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the USR condemns the violation of the separation of powers in the state and the undermining of democracy and European unity.

  • “The initiation of criminal proceedings by the DNA prosecutor against former Prime Minister Florin Citsu and former Ministers of Health Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Miheile is in fact an indictment of the pan-European procurement mechanism for vaccines against COVID-19.
  • Therefore, we would like to draw your attention to this case, which has deep implications not only at the national, but also at the European level.
  • In this case, not only the former minister of the USSR is accused, but also the entire reaction of the European Union to the biggest crisis in the field of health care in recent history. The anti-vaccination arguments of the DNA prosecutor, set out in official documents, are shocking and incompatible with modern Europe. Rationality, common sense and the very idea of ​​basing public policy decisions on scientific data are under attack,” says USR leader Katalin Drula.

He says that “the implications of these absurd criminal charges are of particular concern in the context of the upcoming European elections” and “this is just the beginning of a massive anti-European campaign that we should expect from the ruling Social Democratic Party and extremists”. AUR Party”.

  • The full text of the letter USR sent to CE

USR is calling on the European Commission to look into the case, saying it has significant implications both at national and European level.

  • “We reaffirm our unwavering support for the rule of law, an independent judiciary and anti-corruption measures in Romania. However, we are particularly concerned that such cases of judicial negligence are undermining the progress made by Romania in its accession to the EU.
  • This situation illustrates another case of selective justice against USR’s image vector and reminds us of the previous persecution in the form of baseless accusations that have been spread against Dan Barna for four years,” the USR leader adds.

On Tuesday, Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu referred to the Attorney General the criminal prosecution requests filed by President Klaus Iohannis against former NLP Prime Minister Florin Kitsu and former Health Ministers Vlad Voiculescu and Ioana Mihaile. As a reminder, DNA has requested immunity from prosecution in the case of three former members of the Government in order to prosecute them in the case of the procurement of vaccines against COVID, being accused of purchasing more than the available and necessary quantities of more than 52.8 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in the amount of more than one billion euros.

Prosecutor George Adrian Matei, head of DNA’s anti-corruption unit, is handling the case. George Adrian Matei is the prosecutor who brought Liviu Dragnia to trial in the case of bogus employment at the Department of Social Assistance and Child Protection, in which the former PSD leader was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

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