Iustina Scarlat claims Minister Focsa is not interested in restoring her to office

The former chief of the National Center of Popular Creation, Iustina Scarlat, claims that Minister of Culture Boris Focsa is not interested in restoring her to office, despite the court’s ruling at the beginning of April. However, Boris Focsa says he cannot restore Iustina Scarlat to her previous position because the current director is on sick leave, Info-Prim Neo reports. “I’ve worked for 42 years in culture and for 35 years at the National Center of Popular Creation. I worked honestly, with dedication. I was the coordinator of choral ensembles. I never imagined I could be sacked in three hours without any explanations”, Iustina Scarlat declared during a press conference. The former director tells that since Minister Focsa has been appointed, he had a negative attitude towards her. He signed her marching orders on August 8, 2010, on the grounds of a conflict of interests. Allegedly, she had employed unprofessional people, including relatives, at the National Center of Popular Creation. On June 15, 2011, the court ruled in favor of Iustina Scarlat to be restored to office. After two months, she was suspended and investigated by a internal investigation commission for violations of the legislation. On September 6, 2011, Boris Focsa signed another order to sack Iustina Scarlat because she missed work for 4 hours without justification. Iustina Scarlat explains that she was still suspended from office. According to another court ruling, Iustina Scarlat was to be restored to position on April 9, 2012. However, she says that the Minister refuses to sign the order. He offers as an excuse the fact that the current director, Diana Decusara, is on sick leave. Iustina Scarlat noted that Diana Decusara was a member of the Democratic Party of Moldova, to which the Minister of Culture belongs. Indeed, Boris Focsa told Info-Prim Neo that he can’t sign the order because Diana Decusara is on sick leave. He added that he had no interest in firing Iustina Scarlat, but sacked her twice because she infringed the law. The Minister said he would restore her to office as soon as possible.