One new prosecutor is working on the Aug. 10 case, who was supposed to read the 131 volumes, said Gabriela Scutea, who completed her mandate as attorney general on Feb. 20. Opened in 2018, evaluated by DIICOT in 2020 and reopened last spring after an appeal by protesters – this was, in short, the course of the case on August 10, one of the biggest failures of justice in Romania.

More than 700 people filed criminal charges after being hit by gendarmes or inhaling tear gas during a rally on August 10, 2018 in Victory Square. Who is responsible for these violence? Answers were awaited for more than four years, during which the criminal case went between the prosecutor’s office and the court.

“It takes much time. We understand, but we are constantly working on this file”

When asked about the status of this case, in an interview with Radio Europa Liberă, Gabriela Scutia said that only one new prosecutor is working on this case.

• “What we have to start with in terms of society’s expectations is that it was assigned to a new prosecutor.
• At the time the court files were returned, I think they had 131 volumes.
• So this new prosecutor had to decide what to do immediately, who to look for, including forming an international judicial commission, since he is a foreign victim. (…) A person accidentally fell into the violence of the gendarmerie. (…)
• In this case, criminal prosecution was initiated against 24 new suspects, in addition to those who were in the previous investigation (head of the gendarmerie), and thus all criminal prosecution documents are still ongoing,” said Skutya.
• According to her, 24 new suspects in acts of violence are gendarmes.
• “It takes much time. We are aware of this, but we are constantly working on this file,” said Gabriela Scutea.
• READ ALSO: August 10 file. A big miscarriage of justice

Is it fair that a magistrate can retire after 25 years of service? “Work is not on an 8-hour schedule”

Asked in an interview with Radio Europa Liberă about the wave of judicial dismissals amid debates related to changes in the retirement age and special pensions, Gabriela Scutea argued that “the problem is the sudden, drastic introduction of another length of service, much longer.” :

• “Colleagues with more than the legal minimum have also left, saying they may regret leaving the profession.
• This is not necessarily a problem of the size of the pension. The problem is the sudden, abrupt introduction of another, much higher seniority, and perhaps for some people there is a degree of attrition that requires them to make a choice. If today it is possible to dismiss me from my position without additional nuances, then why not? Because there is this insecurity about the legal terms.”

When asked if he thinks it is fair that a magistrate can retire after 25 years of work, while for other taxpayers the service is much longer, Skutya answered:

• “I’m not commenting on whether it’s fair or unfair. When I entered the profession, there were different conditions. This change took place in 2004, with the option of a seniority pension after 25 years of service.
• Work is not on an 8-hour schedule. (…) There are many urgent things, which makes the activity immeasurable. It’s only seen as monthly activity, but that includes Saturday, Sunday, with very little chance of recovery.”

Gabriela Skutja ran for the new mandate of the Prosecutor General, but the Minister of Justice Katalin Predoyu proposed her counter-candidate – prosecutor Alex-Florin Florenta from DIICOT.