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| A SENATOR ARRESTED 31/03/2010 |
| (2010-03-31) |
| Last updated: 2010-04-01 13:34 EET |
Romanian Social Democratic senator Catalin Voicu, investigated for serious corruption acts, has been taken into temporary custody following a decision made by the High Court of Cassation and Justice. The arrest had been asked by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate which accuses Voicu of influence peddling. Prosecutors say the Social Democratic senator took advantage of his parliamentarian position to solve the legal problems of several business men and politicians, thanks to his connections in the highest courts.
In two cases, Catalin Voicu is supposed to have used his influence with various magistrates in exchange for huge sums of money. The senator had been under surveillance and his phone conversations had been tapped for some time when he was arrested. His case hit the headlines after some newspapers published fragments from the transcripts of such tapping. His conversations with politicians and businesspeople and also with high ranking magistrates have revealed the existence of a mafia network with strong tentacles in the Romanian politics and the judiciary.
Voicu claims he is innocent, saying that the fragments made public in the press are taken out of context and cannot be used as incriminating evidence. However this is going to be decided in court, which is a real first given that in such cases of corruption the Romanian MPs usually blocked the judiciary’s action. Senators have voted for the arrest of the senator without resorting to all sorts of tricks meant to hamper the course of justice.
With the public eye riveted on the Senate, senators would not have had any justification to prevent the arrest of Catalin Voicu, given that parliamentary immunity only covers political statements. “Dignitaries behind the bars, magistrates at work” writes the daily EVENIMENTUL ZILEI, adding that in the coming days we’ll see if the Romanian judiciary is eventually functioning. The newspaper also writes that the metamorphosis of the Romanian judiciary depends on the evolution of the Voicu case and also on the decision of the Higher Council of Magistrates.
The body monitoring the good functioning of courts will analyse the involvement of two judges from the Supreme Court in the respective file. The daily EVENIMENTUL ZILEI notes that, besides sanctions for the judges, the Higher Council of Magistrates is expected to work out, as an ethical norm, the boundaries of a fair relationship between magistrates and politicians. The latest report on human rights in Romania issued by the US State Department points to political interference in the enforcement of justice. Also, the recent European Commission interim monitoring report draws attention to the lack of progress in reforming the Romanian judiciary.
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