Lawyer: Public emotion shouldn't influence probe into Viorel Pașca's care homes

Bucharest, Romania – The lawyer for Viorel Pașca, the owner of several care homes in Bihor, has urged for an objective investigation, stating that public sentiment should not sway the judicial process. Răzvan Doseanu asserted that his client is viewed positively by tens of thousands of people, countering the narrative of wrongdoing at the facilities.

"There is an opinion that bad things happened there, but if you look in public space and those who know Mr. Pașca and have been there, you will see that the reaction of not thousands, but tens of thousands of people is positive towards Mr. Pașca," Doseanu told Antena 3 CNN. He added that neither positive nor negative emotions should influence how the investigation proceeds.

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There is an opinion that bad things happened there, but if you look in public space and those who know Mr. Pașca and have been there, you will see that the reaction of not thousands, but tens of thousands of people is positive towards Mr. Pașca. Neither negative nor positive emotion has anything to do with how the investigation will be conducted.

Doseanu also suggested that local authorities were aware of Pașca's activities, which have spanned nearly two decades. He indicated that many authorities directed vulnerable individuals, including the sick, poor, and homeless, to Pașca's establishments for shelter and food. "A lot of authorities sent those people to those establishments, locations for sick people, poor people, people who had no one and had nowhere to go, to eat a plate of food, to not spend the night in the cold, in the frost and so on," the lawyer stated.

Viorel Pașca is currently under investigation by the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) for alleged human trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable individuals. Prosecutors claim that since 2020, Pașca and three family members operated an organized crime group that recruited and housed vulnerable people, particularly those with mental health issues, under the guise of providing social and humanitarian services. The investigation also involves allegations of the group burying 401 individuals who died in the care homes over six years, with burial assistance funds allegedly pocketed by group members.

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A lot of authorities sent those people to those establishments, locations for sick people, poor people, people who had no one and had nowhere to go, to eat a plate of food, to not spend the night in the cold, in the frost and so on.