Justice Minister Radu Marinescu said on Tuesday that he is not aware of the U.S. authorities pressuring the Romanian government or sending an official request for the release of the Tate brothers.
"The Justice Ministry is not aware whatsoever of any pressure or official request sent by the American authorities regarding these defendants," Radu Marinescu declared at the end of the event for the presentation of the 2024 activity report of the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice.
Commenting on the possibility that the two will not return to Romania, the minister specified that there is a judicial cooperation mechanism in force between Romania and the U.S.
"By virtue of this judicial cooperation mechanism, persons sought by one or another of these jurisdictions have been surrendered to the requesting jurisdiction. From my point of view, it is in the interest of these defendants to return to Romania, the more so as, from what I have seen they have made public claims that they are innocent. I don't see why an innocent person would not stand before a certain court. I have no indication at the moment that these persons would not return to Romania to continue submitting to judicial proceedings," Radu Marinescu said.
Regarding the accusations leveled by the Tate brothers' at the Romanian judicial system, the JusMin said that no offense to the Romanian authorities will be ever tolerated.
"Personally, I have not seen this situation, but if it happened, then the people who hold the magistrates in contempt must respond to the law. I do not follow the opinions expressed by the people in question, I have other concerns, but I assure you that if they violate the judicial control, the Romanian justice system has all the necessary resources at hand to act accordingly, meaning either replacing the pre-trial measure or, if they abscond justice, by passing sentences, including in absentia," Marinescu emphasized.
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