Interim Prime Minister Mihai Fifor (photo) has dismissed the Romanian Police chief, Bogdan Despescu, on Wednesday, after former PM Mihai Tudose had refused last week the Interior Minister’s request in this regard.
The information was originally broadcast by news televisions, ziare.com reports.
The Government confirms in a press release that Bogdan Despescu has been dismissed, the Romanian Police being under the command of Catalin Ionita, who initially refused it, and because of whom the tensions between former PM Mihai Tudose and Interior Minister Carmen Dan mounted.
“Interim Prime Minister Mihai-Viorel Fifor has signed today the decision to release Mr. Bogdan Despescu from the position of inspector general with the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police with the rank of State Secretary.
At the same time, the interim prime minister signed the decision to empower at the helm of the Romanian General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, Mr. Alexandru-Catalin Ionita, with the rank of State Secretary, for a period of six months.
Both decisions were made upon the proposal of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mrs. Carmen Dan, and will come into force upon the publication by the Official Gazette,” the Government release reads.
Chief Quaestor Catalin Ionita, Head of the General Anticorruption Directorate (DGA), last week initially accepted the nomination, but in 24 hours changed his mind. Although personally informed, Carmen Dan did not inform former Prime Minister Mihai Tudose, and waited to see whether or not Bogdan Despescu is dismissed. But the information reached the press, and Mihai Tudose accused Carmen Dan of lying to him. Subsequently, the Interior Minister refuted the accusation by presenting a document in which Catalin Ionita had initially gave his consent to take over the Police chief position.