Bucharest Tribunal replaces judicial control with preventive arrest for Sinaia mayor

The Bucharest Tribunal has approved the National Anticorruption Directorate’s (DNA) request for the preventive detention of Vlad Oprea, the mayor of the popular mountain town of Sinaia, following alleged violations of judicial control restrictions imposed on him in the case in which he faces several charges of corruption, news agency Agerpres reported.

The decision was made on Friday, May 16, after the court accepted DNA’s motion to replace Oprea’s judicial control with a 30-day preventive detention, starting from the ruling’s finalization. The court’s ruling includes the right to appeal within 48 hours of notification.

Vlad Oprea had been placed under judicial control in Januaryamid a corruption investigation. His restrictions included a ban on performing his mayoral duties and contacting witnesses, either directly or indirectly.

Prosecutors allege that on March 4 and 13, 2025, Oprea met with the city’s deputy mayor, who has been acting as mayor, in a hotel’s technical room in Sinaia. These meetings and discussions were secretly recorded by investigators.

According to the DNA, as quoted by Agerpres, despite the judicial control measures, Oprea effectively exercised mayoral powers between March and April 2025. He is accused of directing the deputy mayor on local council relations, budget preparations, and management of public services such as water tariff negotiations and personnel decisions within the local administration. The investigation details include Oprea’s involvement in decisions regarding local contracts, land management, suspensions of municipal employees, and internal job competitions.

The mayor said that the allegations regarding his violation of the terms of judicial control are "completely unfounded and represent pure speculation,” according to News.ro.

Oprea faces multiple charges, including continued bribery, financial operations incompatible with his position, influence trafficking, false declarations of assets, abuse of office for personal or others’ gain, misuse of party leadership influence, money laundering, and unauthorized construction or demolition activities within Sinaia.

Vlad Oprea won his sixth term as mayor of Sinaia last year.