Bucharest deputy mayor Aurelian Bădulescu has made inflammatory statements on Wednesday night, saying he lied when he had been heard at the Prosecutor’s Office in the case of the Diaspora rally violence on August 10. His statements came soon after the Social Democrat Party (PSD) has withdrawn its political endorsement for the deputy mayor.
On Thursday, Bădulescu announced he had been summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office on Monday after confessing he had lied about the August 10 protest.
Aurelian Bădulescu was the one in charge during the protest violently repressed by the riot police on August 10, 2018, as Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea was on vacation and had delegated her duties to Bădulescu.
While being interviewed at Realitatea TV and Romania TV private broadcasters, the deputy mayor claimed he ;went so far as he had to lie for the party.’
“Is it possible in Romania in 2019 to be kicked out if you call a colleague <trumpet> and not to matter how much you’ve worked, fought the Opposition, how many projects you’ve voted, how many documents you’ve signed not to allow the hashtag in the square? And you are heard at the prosecutor’s office, but don’t they wonder why I had to lie the prosecutors?“, the deputy mayor told journalists, while the TV show host asked him if he had lied to the Prosecutor’s Office.
“Yes. I said, after January 30 it is time people know the truth. This is their fear.”
“How can you tell that you’ve lied at the prosecutor’s office?“, asks the show host again.
Bădulescu also claimed that the party had asked him to use “all weapons against Gabriela Firea” in exchange “for material benefits” and that he had turned them down.
Bucharest PSD Executive Committee has decided on Wednesday night to withdraw political endorsement for the Capital deputy mayor, Aurelian Bădulescu. He remains general councilman and PSD member. However, when a political party is stripping a member of the political support, it is in fact a first step to oust him.
Aurelian Bădulescu stated on August 24, 2018, after being heard by prosecutors about the August 10 events in Victoriei Square that “there were Belfast type street fights”.