Bucharest Court rejects Ciucu's appeal: judicial supervision extended until October 2026
General Mayor Ciprian Ciucu remains under judicial supervision for 60 days, until 15 October 2026, after Bucharest Court rejected his complaint as unfounded. The municipal official cannot leave Romania without the prosecutor's approval.
Judicial supervision extended for Mayor Ciucu, accused of bribery
The judge for rights and freedoms at Bucharest Court rejected on Thursday, as unfounded, the complaint filed by the general mayor of the capital, Ciprian Ciucu, against the extension of judicial supervision for 60 days, until 15 October 2026, reports News.ro. Ciucu is being investigated by DNA prosecutors for bribery, for acts committed during the period when he held the position of mayor of Sector 6.
The same judge also rejected, likewise as unfounded, the requests through which Ciucu sought to modify the conditions of judicial supervision: the municipal official cannot leave Romania without the prosecutor's approval and is not allowed to contact certain individuals.
Ciucu: "I consider myself innocent"
Upon leaving the courtroom, the general mayor publicly justified his decision to contest the measure. "It is my right to do this, every person in my situation contests judicial supervision, it is only normal. I consider myself innocent and that is precisely why I presented myself, together with my lawyers, before the judges, and I requested the lifting of judicial supervision," declared Ciprian Ciucu.
Two days before the court's decision, the mayor had announced that he would contest "every time" the measure, including "at a symbolic level", arguing that failing to make this gesture would amount to an admission of guilt. "Because I must defend my rights and freedoms I chose to make this gesture also at a symbolic level. So I will make this gesture every time and I will contest the judicial supervision," Ciucu emphasised.
An obstacle to the position of general mayor
Ciucu also cited the practical difficulties generated by the imposed restrictions. "You understand that, in my capacity as general mayor, I must also travel abroad. I am a member of the Committee of the Regions, I must go to Brussels and I must be able to perform my function, obviously, this situation is in no way conducive to helping me do this," the municipal official said.
With regard to the prohibition on contacting certain individuals, Ciucu specified that it concerns an employee at the Directorate of Town Planning and the mayor of Sector 6. "I ought to be able to contact at least the mayor of Sector 6, but because he has not been heard, I cannot do this," explained the general mayor.
What the prosecutors claim
According to DNA prosecutors, Ciucu allegedly received undue benefits — consisting of advertising and electoral consultancy services — in the autumn of last year, from two businessmen who were developing a real estate project in Sector 6. In return, he allegedly fulfilled his job duties related to the administrative procedures concerning that project.
The general mayor firmly denied the accusations, in a television appearance a month ago. "I never conditioned anything, I did not take any money from these people, I never conditioned any permit and something was issued after I was mayor of the Capital for some five to six months. I did not issue it," declared Ciucu, specifying that the respective administrative decision went into circulation after his departure from Sector 6 City Hall.
Ciucu admitted however that his being charged "hit him quite hard", citing the fact that "throughout his life" he had fought against corruption and that, in his capacity as sector mayor, he had "dismantled corruption networks through reorganisations".
The municipal official had declared himself "calm" regarding the file, emphasising that there is no recording in which he appears and that he expects the file to be sent to court. "These are accusations, but they must be proved by the prosecutors, but I have no kind of concerns," Ciucu had stated.
Source: News.ro