USR Senator Remus Negoi defends Clotilde Armand, sentenced to one year in prison
USR Senator Remus Negoi defended Clotilde Armand following her first-instance conviction, citing a Bucharest Prefect's office position that allegedly authorised a bonus of 18,000 lei.
Negoi (USR) claims Prefecture approved the 18,000 lei bonus granted by Armand
USR Senator Remus Negoi came to the defence of Clotilde Armand, former mayor of Sector 1, after she was sentenced to one year in prison on a first-instance basis for misuse of office in personal interest. According to Gândul, Negoi intervened on the "Subject of the Day with Răzvan Dumitrescu" programme, arguing that Armand acted on the basis of a legal opinion requested from the Bucharest Prefect's office.
"It amounts to 18,000 lei in total and she granted it by signing a mayoral decision for European funds. A kind of bonus for European funds, which I understand she wasn't permitted to do, but on the basis of a document which she requested from the Bucharest Prefect's office and the prefecture presented to her a legal position stating that she could implement it," Negoi declared.
The USR senator specified that the 18,000 lei sum was awarded in connection with a project funded from European funds, and the mayor's decision was based on the written response received from the Bucharest Prefect's office.
First-instance conviction with suspended sentence
The Court of Sector 1 decided to sentence Clotilde Armand to one year in prison, with suspension of the sentence for a supervision period of two years. The judgment is not final. The former mayor announced that she would file an appeal.
The case is based on findings by the National Integrity Agency. In 2022, ANI established that Armand was in a conflict of interest and incompatibility after, in her capacity as mayor, she appointed herself manager in a project funded from European funds. According to ANI, she signed several orders by which she assigned herself the role of project manager and increased her monthly compensation by up to 30%.
Armand accuses political motivation and invokes procedural irregularities
Clotilde Armand rejected the conviction and claimed that the case represented a form of "judicial harassment" fuelled by her political opponents.
"For years, this case was used as a political weapon. I was declared 'criminal' by my opponents before there was a final ruling. Some already saw me in prison. Others were announcing the end of my political career," Armand wrote on Facebook.
The former municipal official emphasised that no damage was established in the case and raised questions about the manner in which the proceedings were conducted.
"Few people know that the first time Lia called was at Sector 1 (…) Four prosecutors succeeded each other in handling the case. The court panel was changed overnight. And there are many other 'unknowns' about which I will speak at the appropriate time," Armand added.
The former mayor of Sector 1 accused the PSD of involvement in the case's course and stated that in her opinion, the current ruling does not bar her candidacy. Armand specified that she would continue her political activity and that she intends to contest the decision on appeal, arguing that she acted legally and in good faith.
Source: Gândul