Clotilde Armand, sentenced to one year, announces complaint to ANI against Lia Savonea
The former mayor of Sector 1 denies any illegality and accuses a "political execution". Armand announces she will file a complaint with ANI against the head of the High Court of Cassation and Justice.
Armand accuses "political execution" after one-year suspended sentence
The former mayor of Sector 1, Clotilde Armand, responded publicly on Thursday, 3 September, following her conviction to one year in prison with the sentence suspended, handed down by Sector 1 Court on 31 August. The sentence is not final. According to Gândul, Armand published a message on her Facebook page titled "How a 'conviction' is manufactured. A short guide", in which she denies any illegal conduct and announces a complaint to the National Integrity Agency (ANI) against the president of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ÎCCJ), Lia Savonea.
"I did not take any money from the sector council's projects," Armand wrote. A USR member, she clarified that she worked as a manager in a European project of Sector 1 Council, which was completed successfully, and that she received approximately 2,000 euros over six months, exclusively for work actually performed. "This is not about money received without work or about millions that disappeared," she emphasised.
The court also ordered the confiscation of the sum of 18,720 lei obtained within the project that formed the basis of her indictment. Armand is required to comply with a two-year probation period, during which she must report to the Bucharest Probation Service, receive visits from her probation officer and notify in advance any change of residence or workplace.
"Perfect timing, isn't it?"
Armand describes in her post a chronology which she qualifies as "political execution". She claims that her designation as project manager went through the legal procedures of the council and that the prefect in office at that time confirmed in writing the legality of the decisions. Subsequently, she claims, Prefect Toni Greblă, appointed by the PSD, revoked the previous validation, and the PSD referred the matter to ANI, which forwarded the case to the prosecutor's office.
"Four prosecutors have succeeded one another in my case. Through my lawyers I formally requested explanations regarding these changes: from the general prosecutor's office, the judicial inspection, the Superior Council of Magistracy. To this day I have not received a response," the former mayor wrote. Armand further noted that she was publicly announced as a suspect at the very moment she declared her candidacy for a new term, at a press conference with television broadcasters present.
Contests "criminally convicted" designation
Armand rejects formulations in the press that describe her as "criminally convicted", calling them "fake news". "The court did not deliver a conviction ruling," she maintains, invoking the technical-legal specificity of the suspended sentence. An appeal is to be filed.
At the same time, Armand recalls that she previously filed a complaint with ANI against Toni Greblă, regarding the increase of his salary as president of the Permanent Electoral Authority by 50,000 euros — a complaint she claims ANI resolved in her favour, finding that Greblă acted illegally and became incompatible.
Complaint announced against ÎCCJ head
The next step announced by Armand targets the ÎCCJ president, Lia Savonea. "The complaint to ANI for the famous lady Savonea is coming — let ANI inspectors quickly explain to us how she justifies her colossal wealth and the enormous financial transactions of her family," the former mayor posted on Facebook.
Sector 1 Court delivered the sentence on 31 August. The decision is not final, and Armand is to contest it on appeal.
Source: Gândul