Judge Liviu Parvu looks on impassible as witnesses use threats and insults in court
Romania Libera, 7 Febr. 2002

Yesterday, at the Bucharest Territorial Military Tribunal new proceedings took place in the Gheorghe Ursu Case, the most media-publicized post-December (1989) trial yet, which is being dragged since over a decade ago, without any sign that the authorities would come up with a solution…. However, some substantial changes were noticeable yesterday, unfortunately not in the sense of clarifying the circumstances in which the communist regime’s police killed Gheorghe Ursu. On the contrary, the audience present at the proceedings looked with great stupefaction at the boredom and lack of interest that Judge Liviu Parvu accorded the witnesses’ depositions, letting it to be understood that he does not really want to solve the case.
The witnesses: Popa Dan, Palamariu Florinel, Costandache Ioan, Anghel Vasile, Andrei Ion, Belu Gica, Cojocaru Gheorghe and Clita Marian had been cited for cross-examinations. It is usual by now for testimonies given under oath during an investigation to be later given substantial makeovers in view of obtaining “equitable” (read ‘accommodating the party with more influence or money’) results. However, Judge Liviu Parvu was expected to at least remind the witnesses that they had recently signed declarations, which were completely different from what they were saying now. At some point, Clita Marian, who since 1995 has not maintained his previously given testimonies, had a sudden outburst of fury that left everyone present aghast. Without addressing to anyone in particular, Clita started to swear and threat that he will take revenge against those who don’t leave him alone. The threats obviously were aiming Gheorghe Ursu’s family.  Judge Parvu, in the purest comedian-like style, behaved as if everything was just normal! Andrei Ursu, the son of the murdered, was indignant about the judge’s attitude and decided to sue for false testimony the witnesses who had changed their depositions over night:  “The cross examination was a total masquerade. The way things go, I am convinced more and more that it is desired that this case be hushed up.  I am not to make value judgements of the person who cross examined the witnesses, Capt. Liviu Parvu, but I cannot just sit and watch as he does not react to the outrage happening in court, under his own eyes. Our counsel, Mrs. Eugenia Crangariu, was simply obstructed by him from pleading the case. She called several times the judge’s attention to the fact that the witnesses changed their testimonies, but to no effect.  And then how can Clita’s outburst be interpreted, who swore, slurred and insulted us under the judge’s very eyes and unimpeded by him in any way?”

Ion-Traian Stefan