Senate's Judiciary Committee approves DNA requests in cases of Senators Oprea, Tudor

The Judiciary Committee of the Senate on Tuesday approved requests for the commencement of criminal investigation into Senator Gabriel Oprea of the National Union for Romania's Progress (UNPR) as well as the remanding and placing under pre-trial detention of Senator Doina Tudor of the National Liberal Party (PNL). 

The request for the commencement of Oprea's prosecution passed 6 to 5, while the request for the remanding and placing under pre-trial detention of Tudor passed 9 to 1 and one annulled vote, according to committee sources. 

The Judiciary Committee is now expected to draw up its reports on the requests to be forwarded to the plenary session of the Senate. 

Last week, chief prosecutor with the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) Laura Codruta Kovesi requested the Senate's permission to start off a criminal investigation of Oprea in a case where also investigated are former chiefs of the Department for Internal Protection and Intelligence (DIPI), over abuse of office when a functionary obtains ill-gotten gains for self or others. 

Also last week, DNA asked Senate for permission to remand and detain Senator Doina Tudor for being an accessory to bribe taking. AGERPRES