UPDATE. The DNA request to approve detention and custody of Dan Şova is not endorsed by the Senate being gathered 79 votes “for", 67 "against", 5 abstentions, with 85 favorable votes needed for approval.
Other 17 senators did not attend the vote .
Senator Dan Şova delivered a speech before his colleagues arguing against the endorsement of the DNA request.
"Dear colleagues, I say good morning. I began this day in a very pleasant manner, with a few colleagues in the prayer group, because it is the Annunciation. I want to make a wish, God be with all of us and do as he will. I have always been very honored to speak at this rostrum. I am very honored to speak today, although it is a delicate moment. "
"A request for my detention and arrest for an alleged act of moral complicity to abuse of office has been filed. Moral complicity, according to those who investigate me, is the fact that I, in 2007, I convinced two directors from the energy complexes Rovinari and Turceni to conclude legal assistance contracts that with the legal practice I was associated to.
"Not only that there is no evidence in this sense, but all the evidence in the file indicate otherwise. I would like to say a few words about the alleged offense. Beyond that it is an alleged complicity to office abuse, therefore not an act of corruption, but an act of work, I am accused for my activity of lawyer which I had before joining the Romanian Senate.
In September I filed a memorandum in five volumes, explanatory and I requested an additional evidence. It was not acted upon. But this is not a forum for debating case files and then I tell you with full responsibility, it was about three contracts. In two of them, Rovinari and Turceni, they were sued by the closing miners company, for very large claims, with very high risk of bankruptcy and the loss of thousands of jobs. I did not participate at all in this action, but the legal practice to which I was associated, my colleagues won a great success, which can be seen today in Rovinari and Turceni and the local people know very well that it was the cornerstone of those years. "
"Here I would like to appeal, because the two were at the time with AVAS and the AVAS head was Senator Athanasiu and I think he, in a day when Christians should not argue, can confirm that nothing that happened there was remotely illegal. "
"One of the three contracts aimed the recovery of a debt of 48 million from Electrica. My colleagues represented Turceni and got this amount. Electrica was represented by the law firm of Ms. Alina Gorghiu. It is hard for me to think that Mrs. Gorghiu would not remember if there was something illegal in this operation. "
"This is a public speech, so I could not allow myself to lie about what I said here. I do not think that the arrest will resolve the problem. I think the prosecution of this case, which, frankly, I am tired ... for years discussing the option of Rovinari and Turceni there were no problems. I wish that the prosecutor would send this file to court and go through the legal proceedings.
But I will not be hypocritical, to ask you to vote as you wish. No, I am pleading with friendship, honor and fellowship with you to understand one thing. We, by regulation, have given the DNA and the Prosecution all legal means, all necessary funding, all the experts, all technique. WE kept for us one thing - freedom. I am trying to imagine how can we think that a man could defend himself from detention against a system that has all the means at its disposal. If we are talking about equality, about the possibility to defend oneself, it can only be done in freedom. I will not complain about a reality - I am running to prove my innocence. It is not normal. Please give me the opportunity, dismissing the DNA request for me to defend myself as a free man. "
"Why is it that a man cannot be investigated at liberty eight years after an alleged complicity to abuse of office. I think that if we regulated and gave all the powers to some state institutions for things to happen in a civilized manner, I think we can remind by your vote today, tactfully, that remand is an exceptional measure, which can only apply in exceptional cases.
Prosecutors have said that there is reasonable suspicion related to committing crimes. I wish I, as a citizen of Romania, would live in a world of undeniable evidence. We all have suspicions, but we do not ask anyone to clarify them with the price of freedom. When I have a suspicion, I am not affecting the right to freedom of anyone. Colleagues, of course I want to have good news in this day and reiterate what I said the first word, to vote against this request and to give me a chance to defend myself with dignity as a free man. Thank you very much. "