Democratic Party 'assumes responsibility' in Culture Minister case

Democrat leader Marian Lupu has requested detailed information about the case of Culture Minister Boris Focsa, a Democratic Party member who is suspected of having driven under the influence of alcohol, and stated that the Party “assumes the responsibility to draw conclusions and adopt corresponding decisions”, Info-Prim Neo reports. “I asked to be informed in the tiniest details about this case because I want to make sure that this is exactly what happened, and this is not some sort of fabrication, like it happened before. I'm interested in finding out the truth alone”, Marian Lupu told reporters after a meeting of the tripartite Eurointegration Alliance. Prime Minister Vlad Filat, the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, stated that this situation has affected the reputation of the entire Government. “This is an unfortunate event and I hope that this situation will be a lesson for many. The investigation has to be completed to establish the degree of responsibility, with resulting measures, including penalties”, said the Prime Minister. Liberal leader Mihai Ghimpu refrained from comments, mentioning that all should follow his example and abstain from drinking alcohol. The incident happened in the evening of January 6, when many Moldovans celebrate Christmas Eve. It was the Minister's adviser who was taken to the police station for a DUI offense in the first place, and he apparently called his boss to intervene. Eventually Boris Focsa showed up at the station, also apparently drunk. Surveillance cameras captured him seated behind the wheel of a car parked outside the station, but he claimed that his wife drove him there. Having objected for a while, the Minister eventually agreed to take a blood alcohol test. It hasn't been yet revealed whether the Minister drank alcohol or whether he drove that night.