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Viorica Dncil during a plenary session | EP

Ileana Grigorescu makes the news after correcting Viorica Dncils email on Romanian protests.

By Harry Cooper

2/2/17, 8:32 PM CET

Updated 2/2/17, 8:33 PM CET

Controversial plans in Romania to decriminalize some corruption cases, which led to mass street protests this week, have found their way into the hallways of the European Parliament.

Romanian MEPViorica Dncil, a member of the ruling Social Democrats, last week emailed her 750 colleaguesto explain why concernsabout the new laws were unfounded.We believe it is helpful to know the actual facts in order to correctly interpret the current situation, saidDncil.

Not everyone was convinced.

You have inspired me to perform a public service myself by making some corrections to your description of the status quo, as I felt that your briefing can be quite misleading, saidIleana Grigorescu, an assistant to U.K. Conservative MEP Andrew Lewer, in an email to the entire Parliament.

She proceeded to dissectDncils document, pointing out where she felt the MEP had given an incorrect interpretation of the facts.

For example, where Dncil described the government as having launched a public debate on the new laws, Grigorescu pointed out that the debate is just an email address where you can write your opinion.

Her intervention triggered uproar in Romania, with a reporter fromalocal TV station, regarded as close to the Social Democrats, contacting Grigorescuto ask why she was so poorly informed about the reforms. Grigorescu hung up the phone.

The station then ran the story as breaking news, accusing her of tampering with official documents.

Asked why she decided to criticize the MEPs document, Grigorescu told POLITICO: Protesting in Romania is the new social gathering. Every few months were out into the streets, or so it has been for the last few years.

I didnt expect it to have such an impact, she said.Lucky me for having a platform to reply and be read on.

Continued here:
MEP's assistant trolls Romanian Social Democrat - POLITICO.eu (blog)