Judge Laurentiu Beșu, about the effects of the Recorder investigation: “Nothing happened in the system” / “The only concrete reaction was to attack us”

Laurențiu Beșu, judge of the Bucharest Court and one of the magistrates interviewed in the Recorder investigation “Captured Justice”, said on B1 TV on Friday that no change occurred in the justice system after the publication of the press material, and the only reaction of the system and the judges with decision-making power “was to try to discredit” those “who considered it necessary to speak” about the problems.

“In the system (…) nothing happened,” he said, when asked about the effects of the press investigation published by the Recorder on December 9.

Laurentiu Beșu said that although he hoped it would be otherwise, “the only reaction was to try to discredit the judges who thought it necessary to talk about these issues.”

“There was colleague Moroșanu, there were other judges who went to Mr. President and explained to him what the real situation was, but the only concrete reaction of the system and the judges with leadership positions and decision-making power in the system was to attack us, those who said that, look, we have some problems here, something is not right,” he continued.

Asked if he faced reprisals or threats after the Recorder material appeared, the judge said: “From the court's management, no. There were, indeed, two requests for recusals, rejected by colleagues, so I didn't feel any pressure that way within the court itself.”

Laurentiu Beșu stated that he was contacted by the Recorder in May.

“Initially I did not comply with the requests. I took my heart in my teeth, I got in touch. The interview, because in the end this is what matters, was on August 15, 2025,” added the magistrate.

What he said about the appointment from the Bucharest Court

Laurențiu Beșu said about Cosmin Sterea-Grossu, delegate of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) to head the Bucharest Court, that “he has been effectively working since the beginning of January” and that an appointment by competition, not by delegation, would have included seniority conditions.

“Now, the law provides that if you register for a competition to occupy a leadership position in a court, one of the conditions is to have a certain seniority at that court – and it seems natural to me, if you want to lead it, you have to know it, to know all the details of that court, to know how to manage, to manage the court”, explained Laurențiu Beșu.

He stated that if you are appointed by delegation “the law no longer provides any condition for you to occupy that position and then it is at the discretion of the president of the Court of Appeal”.

“Now there is a story here with this delegation. I learned from colleagues that three of the judges with seniority at the court agreed to be delegated to this position as well, a situation in which perhaps they would have been more entitled to occupy this position. They were called to the Bucharest Court of Appeal, the collegium was convened, they were heard. From what I understand, they were somewhat humiliated,” the judge added.

“The function of president of the tribunal, a launching pad for the SCM”

Beșu claims that the news about the delegation of Sterea-Grossu circulated among the judges more than a month before it actually happened.

“The delegation of Mr. Grossu to the position of president of the Bucharest Court was circulated among the judges, it was discussed, I think more than a month before it took place (…). If this appointment had been made in good faith, those conditions for registration in the competition should also have been taken into account”, Laurentiu Beșu also stated.

The magistrate said that “the position of president of the court is somewhat of a launching pad for candidacy in the future Superior Council of the Magistracy”.

“This group, to call it that, prepares its future, appoints in certain positions (…) to ensure that the same group of people will be perpetuated in the future of the CSM”, he also declared.