Thread by @Andric1961

Are the justice systems of European states being hijacked by the USA? The case of the Tate brothers in Romania, who were allowed to leave the country under U.S. pressure, suggests this might be the case. Spoke to German-born Romanian politician Dominic Fritz about this.

Background: Fritz was born and grew up in Germany, but moved to Romania in 2019, where he was elected mayor of Timișoara, the country’s third-largest city. He was re-elected in 2024. He is also the first vice chairman of the liberal opposition party Save Romania Union (USR).

The Case: The infamous influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate were charged in Romania with human trafficking and sexual exploitation but were allowed to leave the country after Washington intervened. How did this judicial scandal come about? Fritz:

"We don’t know if the travel permit was part of a deal—whether, for example, the US government promised in return not to interfere in Romania’s upcoming presidential election. This is extremely concerning, but given Romania’s dependence on US securityweise, it is not surprising."

So does the case of the Tate brothers mean Romania is a safe haven for criminals—as long as they have the right political connections? Fritz: "That’s unfair. Romania has primarily been a safe haven for a pro-European security policy – and we should all hope it stays that way."

However, opposition leader Fritz also hints at the fact that Romania’s alignment with the West has involved or does involve some dirty compromises between the EU and the governing elite in Bucharest:

"In exchange for loyalty to the West, Brussels has likely turned a blind eye to some recent corruption scandals, which is, of course, unacceptable. But one fact remains: Unlike Hungary or Slovakia, Romania has not yet drifted into euroskepticism."

"That is extremely valuable for Europe’s cohesion. (…) The new American administration is using disgusting tactics—but this is the world we live in now. And it is clear: Europe’s security must come first."

The Tate brothers' views on women resemble those of the Taliban, but of course, the presumption of innocence applies for them as well. But will there even be a trial now with them gone? Fritz:

"I can’t say whether the trial will proceed in their absence until a verdict is reached or whether it will be dropped. A dismissal would be bitter—not just for the Romanian victims but also for the British victims, as there are significant allegations there as well."

Elena Lasconi, the leader of the Save Romania Union (of which Fritz is vice chairman), has called for the resignation of the prosecutor responsible for the Tate case at Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). Is that the right move?

While Fritz does not openly and directly oppose Lasconi, his comments can be interpreted as him distancing himself from the party leader. Regarding Lasconi’s demand, Fritz highlights the huge dependence of Romania from the US:

"That is a demand that can be made from the opposition. But the fact remains: Romania’s dependence on the U.S. is enormous. We have a NATO base with American troops in Romania."

"We also have a very important air defense system that was established here under President Barack Obama and serves as our guarantee against a Russian invasion. There is also extremely strong cooperation between Romanian and U.S. intelligence services."

"Moreover, we have a presidential election coming up in May, where there is a risk that a Putin-controlled candidate could win. In this situation, I understand why the government wanted to avoid an open break with the Americans, even as an opposition politician."

While Fritz describes the Tate brothers’ departure as a “judicial scandal” that needs to be addressed, he also emphasizes that addressing this scandal is currently “politically very difficult."

Regarding the upcoming presidential election and far-right conspiracy theorist Călin Georgescu, who won the first round of the controversially annulled 2024 election, Fritz says that Elon Musk and the Tate brothers prefer Georgescu as Romania’s next president.

“That’s why they have promoted him on their social media profiles. Georgescu (…) uses the same rhetoric, the same anti-NATO and anti-EU imagery as Putin and the far-right US billionaire class."

"The fact that a self-proclaimed patriot like Georgescu is now siding with the Tate brothers—that is, with two wealthy foreigners who immigrated to Romania and are accused of raping Romanian children—also shows one thing:"

“This is not about Romania or Romanian national pride. It’s about destroying Europe." For the full interview, see Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.