Justice Minister Katalin Predoyu issued new explanations after announcing that Dan Josu, the husband of former DIICOT head Georgiana Josu, had been acquitted, although the final decision in his case will be handed down by the court in February, and the first trial sentenced him to 3 years in prison with postponement After apologizing and claiming he got the information from “unofficial sources”, the justice minister now says “it was an error of judgment based on sacred memory” and “unofficial sources” meaning “the legal world”. Then contradicts himself that he would never discuss files with judges, prosecutors or secretaries.

Cătălin Predoiu made these statements on Prima TV, where he was asked what the “unofficial sources” he referred to meant when he went back on his statements and apologized.

“This was my conviction from discussions outside the state framework, from legal circles”

He claimed that “it was nothing more than a commemoration”, being convinced that the file was solved, “from discussions outside the state framework, outside the official framework, from legal circles that have nothing to do with the officials of the state “.

• “Firstly, I have seen the speculations that have been made, and which I would like to categorically reject. It was nothing but a holiday of remembrance that I had.
• I believed that this case was solved. I did not refer to the future with the intention of influencing the court in any way, but referred to information relating to the past.
• This was my belief from discussions outside the state framework, outside the official framework, so I clarified that it is about unofficial sources, legal environments that do not concern state officials. Indeed, it was an error in judgment based on holy memory,” said Predoyu, quoted by News.ro.

“There is not a single judge, prosecutor, or secretary who can claim that we had discussions at least regarding specific cases”

When asked if the “legal environment” meant lawyers, prosecutors, judges, Katalin Predoyu spoke of “the legal world, a private environment that has nothing to do with the state,” but claimed that “there is not a single judge, prosecutor, secretary who could he claims that he would have discussed the files with him punctually.

• “Yes. The legal world, the private environment has nothing to do with the state. I don’t want to hide from this mistake, so I also apologized, but far from me is the idea that I wanted to influence someone.
• Also, you have no desire to influence something that you believe happened in the past.
• On the other hand, I also appeal to publicize the situation. It is known in the judicial system: neither with judges, nor with prosecutors, nor with secretaries have I ever had unprincipled conversations on any case.
• There is not a single judge, prosecutor, registrar who could claim that we had discussions at least regarding specific cases, or even more so demand something in this or that case.”

To the moderator’s remark that if Dan Khosa is acquitted on February 7, then everyone will rightly say: “the minister knew in advance”, Predoyu said that he takes “the entire judicial system, everyone who communicated with him as witnesses”:

• “I am addressing the debate between perception and reality. Judges are well aware that they are protected by law, judge on evidence, I have always held that position, I think that cannot be denied, neither on the basis of public statements nor on the basis of the discussion we have had during the balance sheets or at the CSM meetings .
• I even set a basic, fundamental principle in my activity: to stop the interaction – if it ever existed – between the ministry and the courts and the prosecutor’s office.
• The Minister of Justice has nothing to do with what happens in the files. I applied this principle and I take as witnesses the entire judicial system, all those who communicated with me.
• There was never a nuance that he made in relation to any file. It was just a memory error.”

“My statement was as clear as possible”

When asked in the show on Prima TV how USR responds, who asked him to resign, saying that he restored justice in the era of Rodika Stanoiu, when judgments were handed down to the party, Katalin Predoyu continued to say that his statement was “as clear as possible” , related to an event that he mistakenly believed had already happened:

• “This statement is completely exaggerated. I don’t even have such discussions in the party and there have never been such discussions.
• This is the kind of criticism that undermines itself. The lack of factual arguments and exaggeration in the criticism is a gross error, I repeat, a real one, which I do not deny, but using it in an incorrect way undermines the criticism itself.
• In addition, I carefully read all these statements, I always read critical statements as well. There is also a certain lack of fair play because it makes it seem like I would make a decision for the future.
• However, my statement was as clear as possible, related to the fact that I mistakenly believed had already happened. It was not about influencing the future fact.
• UDR, I’m sorry, the whole of 2022 asked me to resign. First, about the fact that I do not cancel the DSIZH, then about the fact that I canceled it, but not as it should have been. He asked me to resign because I won’t finish the laws of justice, then he asked me to resign because the laws of justice are wrong. He asked me to resign because I was not consulting the Venice Commission and that we would have a bad opinion and that the MCV report would be undermined because of it. He was asking me to resign for everything that didn’t really happen last year. We also abolished the SIIJ and the Justice Acts were passed through Parliament and with the opinion of the CSM.”

“And then it paid off”

In an interview with Europa FM on Wednesday, Catalin Preda was asked if he was satisfied with the performance of the heads of the prosecution, including Georgiana Josu, who resigned after her husband was convicted.

“And subsequently acquitted. You can say that the woman resigned, truly honorably, because of a hypothesis that was ultimately not realized,” Katalin Predoyu replied.

“It’s all my fault because I didn’t check the information I received from unofficial sources”

Then the Minister of Justice came back, declaring a “false statement” and apologizing. He says it’s entirely his fault because he didn’t “verify the information received from unofficial sources.”

• “During the dialogue I had with the moderator, I stated that the husband of Ms. Georgiana Josu was acquitted in court, in fact, the court was not finally pronounced.
• The mistake was made unintentionally, I believed in good faith in the truth of what was said, but unfortunately I did not first check the information I had from unofficial sources.
• I acknowledge the confusion that was unintentionally created, for which I regret and apologize to the public. I emphasize that the ministry apparatus is not responsible for the dissemination of this false information, the fault is entirely mine, since I did not check the information received from unofficial sources.
• Of course, I want to once again confirm the principle of independence of the judiciary, which I have respected in all my activities,” said the press release of the Minister of Justice.

Conviction of Dan Josu and resignation of Georgiana Josu. Meanwhile, she retired at the age of 48

On September 24, 2020, Dan Josa, the husband of former DIICOT head Georgiana Josa, was sentenced to 3 years of suspended imprisonment in the corruption case he is serving. The decision was made by the Bucharest Court and is not final.

According to court records, magistrates sentenced Dan Hosa to 2 years and 6 months in prison for unlawful access to a computer system and 1 year and 6 months for the crime of abetting the use by any means, directly or indirectly, of information that is not intended to advertise or provide unauthorized persons with access to such information for the purpose of obtaining money, goods or other improper benefit for themselves or another person.

He was acquitted of abuse of influence and bribery. The court decided to combine the main sentences so that in the end he would serve 3 years of imprisonment with suspension.

Georgiana Josu was appointed Chief Prosecutor of DIICOT in February 2020 by a decree signed by Klaus Iohannis, despite the negative opinion of the High Council of Magistrates. The position remained vacant in October 2019 after Felix Benile resigned at the request of Klaus Iohannis following the Caracal case.

Georgiana Josu has resigned as head of DIICOT after her husband was convicted in the “Carpatica Asig” case for the crimes of inciting illegal access to a computer system and inciting the use of information not intended for publicity.

After resigning from the DIICOT leadership, Georgiana Josu moved to the General Prosecutor’s Office.

In July 2021, President Klaus Iohannis signed a decree on the resignation of former DIICOT Chair Georgiana Josu at the age of 48.