Former police officer Traian Berbeceanu was appointed prefect of Bucharest by government decision, local Digi24 reported. The decision was published in the Official Gazette on Thursday evening, October 22.

“Mr. Berbeceanu Traian exercises, temporarily, in accordance with the law, the public position of prefect of Bucharest,” reads the government decision.

Berbeceanu replaces Gheorghe Cojanu, who, also by a government decision, was appointed government inspector within the General Secretariat of the Government.

Prime minister Ludovic Orban previously announced that the prefect of Bucharest, Gheorghe Cojanu, will be removed from office due to how he has handled the COVID-19 situation in the capital, especially after the city entered the red scenario last Sunday. Even president Klaus Iohannis criticized Cojanu in a press conference on October 19: “It is hard to understand why, even though we have seen an increase in cases in the capital, no coherent plan was communicated in clear terms, to allow the residents to prepare. The attitude of the prefect and the way he reacted are unacceptable and cannot remain without consequences.”

Traian Berbeceanu, one of the most famous police officers in Romania, retired in 2018, according to Ziare.com. He led the Alba Iulia Organized Crime Brigade between 2005 and 2013 when he had to leave following an investigation of the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism - DIICOT. The first Court acquitted Berbeceanu, but the appeal was suspended in November last year. In December 2019, Traian Berbeceanu was appointed chief of staff of the Minister of Interior, Marcel Vela.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Traian Berbeceanu)