Constanța’s former mayor Radu Mazăre released from prison on parole
<p><strong>Radu Mazăre</strong>, the former mayor of Romania's seaside city of Constanța, was released from prison on Monday, May 27, after the Ilfov Tribunal admitted his parole request. The court's decision was final, and the former mayor left the penitentiary on the same day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I'm no longer interested in public life in any way. Stop asking me what it was, stop asking me what I'm going to do because I'm not interested anymore. That was it," Mazăre told the journalists, <a href="https://www.news.ro/justitie/update-radu-mazare-fostul-primar-al-constantei-pus-in-libertate-de-tribunalul-ilfov-el-a-parasit-penitenciarul-fiind-asteptat-de-sotie-sustine-ca-nu-mai-este-interesat-de-viata-publica-foto-1922400027002024051521607197" rel="noopener" target="_blank">News.ro</a> reported.</p>

<p>Radu Mazăre was sentenced to 9 years in prison in 2019 in a case targeting illegal land retrocessions in Constanța, and then in 2022 to five years for taking bribes in the Polaris case. The Ilfov Tribunal decided in March last year to merge the sentences, so the former mayor had to serve nine years in prison, according to <a href="https://www.biziday.ro/285204-2/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Biziday</a>.</p>

<p>He left to Madagascar before the courts ruled any sentences against him and was captured and brought back to Romania in 2019.</p>

<p>Mazăre served as mayor of Constanta from June 2000 until May 2015. While in office, he was&nbsp;best known for his eccentricities and for the parades he organized and led in the seaside resort of Mamaia.</p>

<p><i>irina.marica@romania-insider.com</i></p>

<p><i>(Photo source:&nbsp;</i><em>Inquam Photos /&nbsp;<a href="https://inquamphotos.com/users/georgecalin">George&nbsp;Călin</a>)</em></p>