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Former Defence Minister Gabriel Oprea arrived on Thursday at the headquarters of the Sections for investigating crimes in justice (SIIJ), in order to be heard in the case regarding the return to Romania of the former head of the National Investment Fund (FNI) Nicolae Popa.
Upon entering the SIIJ headquarters, Gabriel Oprea stated that he was subpoenaed as witness, but he didn't want to mention in which case.
Moreover, Gabriel Oprea was heard again in this case in March.
Former first deputy to the head of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) Florian Coldea was also called in to give statements in the same case.
In this case, former head of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) Laura Codruta Kovesi is investigated for abuse of office, taking bribery and false testimony.
The case was open in December 2018, following a notification sent by the former Deputy Sebastian Ghita. He ran to hide in Serbia, after being sent to trial in several corruption cases. Ghita claims that, in 2011, Kovesi asked him to pay 200,000 euro to bring back to Romania, from Indonesia, by plane, Nicolae Popa, as the latter's name appeared on an international arrest warrant.
The SIIJ prosecutors claim that Laura Codruta Kovesi asked for and received in 2011 the amount of 268,689 lei from Sebastian Ghita for the extradition of the former head of FNI.
