JusMin Predoiu: Elena Udrea in Bulgarian authorities custody, to be presented to Court

Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu said on Friday that the ministry he leads is not involved in the procedure of bringing former Tourism minister Elena Udrea to the country, adding that she is in the custody of Bulgarian authorities and will be presented to the court, Agerpres reports.

"The Ministry of Justice does not have a team sent there, because it is not involved in the procedure. (...) It is our duty to support this process upon request. Therefore, if the Bucharest Tribunal or the Bulgarian court asks us for support with the provision of documents, as the procedure says, then the Ministry of Justice is also involved, being about a European Arrest Warrant. For now, she is in the custody of the Bulgarian authorities and will be presented to the court," said Catalin Predoiu, at the Ministry of Justice.

A panel of five Supreme Court judges on Thursday denied an appeal filed by former Tourism Minister Elena Udrea and the other defendants in the "Bute boxing gala" case, thus sustaining a six-year in prison sentence.

The court's ruling was taken by a majority of votes and is final, so Elena Udrea will go to jail.

Former chairman of the Romanian Boxing Federation Rudel Obreja will also go to prison to serve a five-year time, as will Tudor Breazu, who was handed a three-year in prison sentence.