The Minister of Justice, about the case of Horațiu Potra: “The authorities work with the counterparts in Eau to have the confirmation of the preventive measure” / extradition can take “a few months”

The Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu, said on Wednesday that “at this moment the authorities in Romania work together with counterparts in the United Arab Emirates to have the confirmation of the preventive measure” to Horațiu Potra and his family members caught in Dubai, who are targeted by an arrest warrant.

Over two and a half hours since the sources appeared, the information that Horațiu Potra was caught in Dubai, the Romanian Minister of Justice spoke about this case in an intervention at Antena 3.

Radu Marinescu said that “there is no treaty or convention on these aspects with the United Arab Emirates at the moment, but based on the principle of reciprocity such formulas of judicial cooperation are effective.”

“For the Ministry of Justice, the priority is that the extradition formalities are fulfilled and any person who is pursued by the Romanian state is presented before the authorities to answer to the accusations that are brought to him,” added the official.

He said that “there are three persons who are targeted by the arrest warrant”, and the Romanian authorities work “with the authorities in the emirate to confirm the deprivation of all three”.

“The three people, Mr. Potra and members of his reign, are targeted by a preventive arrest warrant. At the moment, our steps with the Emirate authorities are to confirm the preventive measure on the three persons. A definitive information will be officially done by the Romanian authorities after these confirmation procedural activities will be completed”.

Extradition can take “several months”

The Minister of Justice explained that “such a cooperation procedure, which implies the decision of a judicial authority in the state that enforces the request for extradition, is related to the specificity of the procedures in the respective state”.

“Some states have simplified procedures, others have more lasting. From my evaluation, with strictly theoretical title, on the specific procedures for the judicial space of the Arab Emirates, it may be a period, perhaps, for several months, but, I take this as a purely theoretical evaluation, because in the concrete way we will see this. The resolution of this request transmitted by us and we look optimally to carry out these operations ”, concluded the minister Radu Marinescu.

Potra was sent last week by the General Prosecutor's Office, together with the former candidate for the presidential elections of 2024, Călin Georgescu, and another 20 persons, in a file on committing actions against the constitutional order.

Horațiu Potra, his son, Dorian Potra, and another family member, Alexandru Potra, fled from Romania at the beginning of the year, being in international pursuit. On their behalf were issued in February warrants of preventive arrest.

Horaţiu Potra, with a mandate of arrest in lack, is accused of attempt to commit actions against the constitutional order, non -observance of the regime of weapons and ammunition, non -observance of the regime of explosive materials, any operations with pyrotechnic articles performed without law, public instigation.