State protocol buildings to be auctioned, government says

The Romanian government decided on Wednesday to put buildings belonging to the state protocol agency RAAPPS on auction. The RAAPPS has been the subject of a series of controversies for several weeks, after a former presidential aide was accused of running ethically abusive deals between her law firm and the agency.

A Government representative said however that the legal tenants of the protocol homes, with valid contracts until 2008-09, will have their situation cleared only when tenders are organized for their specific lodging.

And he said it would not be possible to forcefully remove the legal tenants out of their homes once the buildings are sold.