Elena Udrea remains under judicial control

Elena Udrea is to be tried further under judicial control in the ‘Bute Gala’ file, the High Court for Cassation and Justice (ICCJ – Supreme Court) ruled on Tuesday, rejecting her appeal for lifting the preventive decision.
The ruling is not final and can be challenged to the same court.
Elena Udrea is under judicial control since June 16, when ICCJ decided to replace home arrest with judicial control.

Elena Udrea said on Tuesday she has asked the High Court for Cassation and Justice (ICCJ – Supreme Court, our note) for the lifting of judicial control in the ‘Bute Gala’ file, because she wants to have a normal life, not to be chased and photographed by the press and by paparazzi, saying that in Romania, any man who has a cell phone becomes a paparazzo.
The former Minister of Regional Development and Tourism was heard on Tuesday by the High Court of Cassation and Justice, the preventive measures in the ‘Bute Gala’ file were discussed, a file in which Elena Udrea is on trial for corruption, along with former Boxing Federation head Rudel Obreja and others.
On leaving the premises of the Supreme Court, Elena Udrea said that she has mainly demanded the lifting of judicial control, because one cannot maintain such preventive measures as long as there is no evidence that she had tried to obstruct the truth or that she had distorted the investigation.
Udrea said that another reason he asked for the lifting of judicial control is that she feels being ‘hunted’ by paparazzi, media and people. She added that in Romania, every citizen who has a cell phone becomes a paparazzo.

Former Tourism minister Elena Udrea, who served a pre-trial detention since February 25, was indicted in ‘Bute Gala’ file by the end of April, under the charge of bribery. She is also charged with abuse of office regarding the organization of ‘Bute Gala’ by the Regional Development and Tourism Ministry.
Elena Udrea will be also judged for money laundering, as she is accused of taking money that she subsequently transferred to the Bucharest branch of the Democrat Liberal Party, disguised as dummy donation contracts, made to conceal the criminal origin of the money.