What the newspapers say: April 8, 2008

All newspapers on Tuesday read that Ioana Maria Vlas, arrested for frauding with millions an investment fund in a major scandal six years ago, was put free on Monday. Elsewhere in the news, Romanian police forces breached the European legislation to defend the NATO Summit. Last but not least, Romanians wishing to buy second cars from Germany could fall in a trap set up by other Romanians.

After five years in prison, Ioana Maria Vlas was set free yesterday, Evenimentul Zilei reads. Vlas was initially accused and convicted for frauding some 13,200 investors at two funds as President of the two funds, in 1999 and 2000. The total fraud amounts to 2.5 million Romanian Ron.

In the same file with Vlas media tycoon Sorin Ovidiu Vantu was also investigated as Vlas accused him of controlling all Funds. However, no accusation was finally constructed against the rich businessman.

After controversial hearings, Ioana Maria Vlas was finally convicted on March 2006 to 7 years of prison. At her turn, Vlas has tried to draw the attention of the court towards the true role of Sorin Ovidiu Vantu but failed.

Yesterday, Sorin Ovidiu Vantu was fined with 1,400 euro because he refused to be present, for the forth time in a row at the National Investment Fund (FNI) trial in order to be heard. Magistrates say that they will issue a warrant to force the businessman come to the court.

More in the news, Gandul reads that Romanian authorities breached EU law in order to protect the NATO Summit organized in Bucharest this year. The newspaper argues that customs officers have activated an application of their system to register all people entering and leaving the country.

Local Police officers have issued an internal act to allow the activation of the system that permits the registration of all those who enter or leave the country. On security grounds or not, Romanian officials have breached the European treaty which rules that all community citizens are free to travel without supervision on the EU territory.

Thus, all persons travelling to or from Romania ware registered by customs officers even there was no clue to indicate that they have committed a crime. Moreover, the internal decision remitted to customs did not contain a time frame, but read that the activity should be maintained until ‘new orders are received’.

Romania libera reveals frauds on the most popular German website containing used car sales announcements from all European countries. The newspaper reads that Romanians, among which the website is very popular, could face a fraud from their Romanian counterparts.

Those planning to deceive Romanians post an announcement for a car at a very good price, and portray themselves as private foreigners who recommend the buyers to pay the car at an intermediary delivery firm.

However, Romania libera journalists discovered that the delivery firm is actually a fake one, and it does not exist in reality even though the internet website looks very professional. Thus, Romanians are in danger of paying for a car they will never receive.