Former Romanian Minister, Elena Udrea, remains in custody in Bulgaria

The Sofia Appellate Court upheld the remand of former Romanian minister Elena Udrea. The reason is that there is a risk she might abscond. The court said on April 14 that the ruling is final. The remand had been ordered by the District Court of Blagoevgrad, Southwestern Bulgaria, on April 7, based on a European arrest warrant and a request for her extradition to Romania.

The defence requested house arrest on the grounds that the former minister has health issues and has provided a contract for renting a flat in the area of Blagoevgrad for one year. The sitting was held behind closed doors at the request of the lawyers due to disclosure of personal information regarding Elena Udrea's private life and health condition. She did not appear in the courtroom today.

The renewed prosecution against the former minister ended with a final sentence - 6 years in prison and confiscation of her property.

Yesterday, it emerged that, due to inhuman treatment, death threats and a trial aimed at political retribution, the former Romanian minister, Elena Udrea, has requested political asylum in Greece.

According to the magistrates, in the first place, the European arrest warrant for Udrea is perfectly regular, issued by a competent authority and valid. It is based on a final effective sentence of 6 years for Udrea issued in her home country. Secondly, there is a risk that she might abscond if the measure is amended by the Bulgarian court - she is wanted for enforcement of the sentence by the Romanian authorities. Thirdly, Elena Udrea's state of health permits her stay in custody, all the more so because the Bulgarian court is working with exceptional speed on the case, the magistrates stressed.

The ruling of the Court is final and cannot be appealed or protested.

Elena Udrea was minister of regional development and tourism from 2009 to 2012. She was on an international wanted persons list in order to be arrested and extradited to Romania, where she is under a six years' prison sentence for corruption. She was detained at Kulata crossing on Bulgaria's border with Greece on April 7 while attempting to leave Bulgaria.

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