JusMin Toader, about Ghita's situation: No ground to currently to withdraw extradition request

Justice Minister Tudorel Toader stated on Friday that there is currently no legal ground for withdrawing the extradition request formulated on the name of deputy Sebastian Ghita, who is in Serbia. 

"As we speak, he is under an arrest warrant. The extradition request took into account the decisions ruled by Romania's courts. There is currently no legal grounds for withdrawing the extradition request. Therefore he remains under the previous arrest warrant. Naturally, we are waiting for the decision in that case, depending on which, we will certainly proceed in accordance with the legal provisions. When he gets cleared of that warrant too, we will talk," Tudorel Toader told Antena 3 private TV broadcaster, on the steps of the justice Ministry's seat. 

Asked about the situation of Elena Udrea, Puiu Popoviciu, Alina Bica and Sebastian Ghita, Toader showed that irrespective of the name, they all need to benefit from the presumption of innocence. 

On Thursday, the Supreme Court acquitted former MP Sebastian Ghita in a case in which he is tried alongside former heads of police and prosecutor's offices, under a non-final ruling. 

According to the court's ruling, Sebastian Ghita was acquitted of two offenses of bribery, influence peddling, money laundering, blackmail, two offenses of use in any way, directly or indirectly, of information not intended for public or allowing the access of unauthorized people to such information and driving a vehicle without a driving license.

At the same time, the court ordered the preventive arrest warrant on Ghita to be rescinded, his assets under a lien be freed and he be paid back the bail of 54 million lei.