Romanian entrepreneur Gruia Stoica, the owner of railway freight company Grup Feroviar Roman, who was arrested earlier in January this year for alleged bid rigging, was recent denied release before Easter. Stoica has applied for being investigated while free, saying he wanted to spend Easter with his family, but the court decided against it. The decision is however not final and can be further appealed at the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

According to prosecutors, Stoica was allegedly involved in fixing a bid to favor his company against the state – owned CFR Marfa. Romanian lawyer Doru Bostina is also investigated in this case, for allegedly receiving EUR 3 million from Gruia Stoica to find out the price offered by CFR Marfa in the bid to transport coal for the state – owned Complexul Energetic Oltenia, an estimated EUR 48 million contract.

“ I am a family man, […] all I have built was for the others. All my life's effort came down to 10 minutes of ambiental recording […] What happens is surreal,” said Stoica while in court. He added the discussion to Bostina was a 'hypothetical one' and added that the alleging that he gave he lawyer EUR 3 million was an “ utopia”.

editor@romania-insider.com