Former Romanian minister gets early jail release after serving one third of his sentence
Former Romanian Agriculture Minister Decebal Traian Remes has been released from jail on parole, after serving a year of his three-year prison sentence.
Remes asked for the early release after serving one third of the sentence, and he qualified for it as he is over 60.
After a year in the Baia Mare prison, Remes' appearance changed significantly: he had a long, white beard, and was almost unrecognizable, according to local ZiarMM.ro. He refused to talk to reporters who were waiting for him at the prison's entrance.
Remes, former Agriculture Minister between April and October 2007, received food products (sausages and plum brandy) worth some RON 1,500 as well as EUR 15,000 from businessman Gheorghe Ciorbă, via Mureşan. The businessman, who turned informer, was sentenced to one and a half years in jail, with parole. The other two in the case will have to serve their jail time.
The food and money bribe was paid to favor Gheorghe Ciorba’s son’s company to win two public bids in Ramnicu Valcea. According to prosecutors, Ciorba also offered an Audi Q7 car worth some EUR 65,000.
Decebal Traian Remeş stepped down as Agriculture Minister in October 2007, after the national TV station TVR broadcast video images of his meeting with former minister Muresan.
editor@romania-insider.com
