Traian Basescu attended the Government meeting in which Elena Udrea decided to finance the Bute Gala with public money. The former president was present when Udrea, then Minister of Regional Development and Tourism, amended the Gala Bute draft decision right during the government meetings to get funding. Prosecutors say one million euros disappeared from the money allocated by the European Union to organize the gala.
According to investigators, the Ministry led by Elena Udrea has initiated several laws that sought to support the organization of the Gala Bute. But the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Finance opposed, so Udrea had to find another solution. She chose to purchase advertising services to promote Romania as a tourist destination.
"Since the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Finance denied approval and showed that the law did not allow public funding for event organization, Minister Udrea modified the contents of the decision during the cabinet session held on 05.01.2011. Therefore, the reference to organize the gala was replaced with promoting Romania as a tourist destination in the gala organized by the Romanian Box Federation. The meeting was also attended by the president invited by Emil Boc”, prosecutors show.