Man relocated from controversial social care homes dies; minister questions notification process

An investigation has determined that Gheorghe Gogea, a 55-year-old man relocated from social care homes linked to Viorel Pașca, died of acute cardio-respiratory failure. The Institute of Legal Medicine confirmed the cause of death was non-violent, stemming from a sudden failure of his heart and respiratory system.

Gogea had been transferred to a center in Mureș county following a large-scale intervention by the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) at facilities managed by Pașca in Bihor. Authorities evacuated 409 individuals from these establishments, relocating them to social centers and medical units across 20 counties.

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In an absolutely regrettable manner, I was informed this evening that a person relocated to Mureș county has died. It concerns Mr. Gheorghe Gogea (55 years old), who resided in Oradea.

Interim Minister of Labor, Dragoș Pîslaru, announced Gogea's death, noting that the man was stable post-relocation and had no identified urgent medical issues or disabilities. Gogea, who was from Oradea, had reportedly stated he had no close relatives or friends.

Pîslaru expressed deep regret over the incident and raised concerns about the Ministry of Labor's lack of prior notification regarding the operation. He questioned why his ministry was not informed in advance to better prepare resources for the efficient relocation of the vulnerable individuals. The minister stated he still lacks an answer to this question, even a week after the events unfolded.

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I repeat for clarity: when the action was already in full swing, I was asked to intervene to identify the necessary relocation solutions. The first question I asked myself that morning was: given the scale of this action, why was the leadership of the Ministry of Labor not informed beforehand, so that we could ensure the necessary resources in time for the efficient relocation of over 400 vulnerable people?