The Interior Minister has asked for the resignations of the rector and pro-rector of the Police Academy, Adrian Iacob and Mihail Marcoci, after they have been prosecuted for instigation to blackmail in the case of journalist Emilia Sercan, who received death threats from a police officer over her journalistic investigations on plagiarised PhD theses among police academy chiefs.
Iacob and Marcoci have been placed under judiciary control for 60 days, facing restrictions pending trial.
Soon after minister Carmen Dan has asked for the resignations, pro-rector Mihail Marcoci announced he had stepped down, yet arguing he is innocent and had no close relation with the young police officer who has allegedly threatened Emilia Sercan.
“I resigned, I talked to the minister (…) I have put no pressures on the officer (…) I had no kind of close relation with this officer. At some point, I did not even know his name. He did not attend my classes”, the resigning pro-rector argued.
The command of the Police Academy will be ensured by pro-rector Veronica Stoica until a new rector and pro-rector are assigned.
“Interior Ministry has collaborated with the National Anti-corruption Directorate in this case since the threatened journalists has filed the complaint and will endorse prosecutors in concluding this case”, reads a press release by the Interior Ministry.
Rector Adrian Iacob and pro-rector Mihail Marcoci have been summoned for a discussion with minister Carmen Dan today.
They are charged with instigation to blackmail, with prosecutors claiming they would have convinced a police officer under their command to send threatening messages to the journalistic so that she should give her investigation on the suspicion over their PhD theses.