Ex-PSD chair Liviu Dragnea to be released on parole

Liviu Dragnea will be released on parole, after Giurgiu Tribunal had ruled in his request to be released from prison.

The former PSD leader has been in Rahova Penitentiary since May 27, 2019, when he was sentenced by the Supreme Court to 3 years and 6 months in prison. The ruling pronounced by the Giurgiu Tribunal is final, so that after completing the formalities Liviu Dragnea will be released from jail.

Liviu Dragnea spent 2 years and 2 months in prison, serving a fraction of two thirds of his sentence.

The announcement was made by Flavia Teodosiu, the lawyer of the former PSD leader. “Here we found some judges who ruled according to the law today,” the lawyer said. She could not specify what rights will be denied to Dragnea, once released from prison.

In Thursday’s hearing, Dragnea told the court that he had behaved well and asked the judges to rule in favor if his release. “I served my prison time with decency and dignity. I went to work every day I was allowed to. I participated in all the courses I was allowed to do, I never missed a day. I received rewards every month I went to work, including the last month, June “, Dragnea told the judges.

In April this year, Liviu Dragnea asked the District 5 Court to be released earlier from the penitentiary, claiming that he had fulfilled the necessary fraction of 2/3 of the sentence.

On April 27, the District 5 Court rejected his request for conditional release, Dragnea filed an appeal, rejected by the Bucharest Tribunal on May 27.

Subsequently he asked for the trial to be relocated to another court, and the case reached Giurgiu Tribunal.

The former PSD leader had several conflicts with the managements of Rahova Penitentiary, even suing them on the grounds that he is not allowed to work in the prison’s car workshop.

The penitentiary chiefs withdrew his right to work, after Dragnea had granted an online interview to his former counselor Anca Alexandrescu, currently a journalist at Realitatea Plus.

Romanian NGOs have slammed the tribunal’s ruling to release Liviu Dragnea from prison, arguing that “we witness another shameful day for the Romanian Judiciary Udrea, Bica, Ghiţă, Mazăre”, the community “Corruption Kills” said.