Romanian Chief of Defense Staff Questioned at Military Prosecutor's Office

General Gheorghiță Vlad, the Chief of the General Staff of the Romanian Defense Forces, was summoned for questioning at the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) - Military Section on Tuesday, June 2.

General Vlad arrived at the DIICOT premises dressed in civilian attire and was accompanied by his lawyer. He declined to make any statements to the journalists gathered outside the institution, offering no details regarding the purpose of his hearing.

As of now, neither DIICOT nor the Ministry of National Defense has issued an official statement to clarify the context of the Romanian Army's chief being called in for questioning. It remains uncertain whether General Vlad was interviewed as a witness, as someone possessing relevant information for an ongoing case, or in another procedural capacity.

General Gheorghiță Vlad assumed the position of Chief of the General Staff of the Defense Forces on November 30, 2023. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff. Between 2020 and 2022, he held the position of Deputy for Operations and Instruction. In the absence of official information from the authorities, the reasons behind his questioning are currently unknown.