Former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, who shot himself on Wednesday evening in an attempt to commit suicide before being arrested, will have to stay for two weeks in hospital, after undergoing surgery on Thursday morning (June 21 ), according to Floreasca hospital doctors. Nastase's lawyers requested a delay in the execution of his sentence today ( June 21 ). According to Romanian law, a delay of up to three months in the carrying out of a sentence can be requested once only by a convicted defendant's lawyers.

Nastase shot himself in the neck, in an attempt to kill himself, while the Police were in his house, preparing to take him into custody for his two year jail term. One of the policemen grabbed the gun and managed to prevent him from sustaining more serious injuries. The bullet penetrated his neck but avoided the carotid artery by three millimeters, doctors said. The wound did not affect the patient's vocal cords, even though it touched the larynx.

Late Wednesday night (June 20 ), after Nastase learned that his appeal against the two year jail sentence for corruption had been rejected and the Police had come to take him to prison, Nastase shot himself and was rushed into the Emergency Room at the Floreasca Emergency Hospital in Bucharest.

The Supreme Court ruled two years in jail for former Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, a definitive sentence that came on Wednesday (June 20 ), after the former PM had appealed the conviction received earlier this year. The decision is final and was made in unanimity by five judges who deliberated for about six hours. Nastase did not attend the appeal hearing. He had 24 hours to be taken into custody and sent to the Rahova prison.

Nastase served as PM when the Social Democratic Party (PSD) were in power between 2000 and 2004.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: RTV)