Summary: Institutul de Investigare a Crimelor Comunismului (IICCMER) Takes Legal Action Against Marius Lulea
IICCMER has announced its intention to file a criminal complaint with the Parchetul de pe Înalta Curte de Casație și Justiție regarding statements made by Marius Lulea, a Vice-President of the Alianța pentru Unirea Românilor (AUR), which glorify the communist regime and Nicolae Ceaușescu.
This incident occurred during a televised discussion on the show "Confruntarea susținătorilor lui Nicușor Dan și George Simion," hosted by Mihai Gâdea on Antena 3 on May 12, 2025. Lulea claimed that Ceaușescu was a "suveranist" who took a courageous stand against Soviet occupation in Czechoslovakia in 1968, and criticized the current political climate for dismantling positive developments from the communist era.
Prof. univ. dr. Daniel Șandru, the Executive President of IICCMER, condemned Lulea’s remarks as not only historically ignorant but also a blatant disregard for the legal framework concerning democratic memory in Romania. According to Emergency Ordinance no. 31/2002, promoting a cult for individuals condemned for crimes against humanity, such as Ceaușescu, is illegal. The Romanian state has deemed Ceaușescu’s regime both illegitimate and criminal, and he has been convicted of genocide.
Șandru emphasized that invoking the sovereignty of a dictatorship equates to symbolically rehabilitating a regime that violated fundamental human rights and imposed oppression and terror upon millions of Romanians. The achievements of the communist regime cannot erase the memories of its victims, including political prisoners and those affected by forced demolitions and deprivation.
The IICCMER noted that the promotion of such ideas in 2025, over three decades after the fall of communism, is not only a disrespect to the victims but also a dangerous sign of democratic ignorance. Glorifying a dictatorship is more than a political stance; it undermines human dignity and violates existing laws.
It’s worth highlighting that IICCMER filed a similar complaint against Europarliamentarian Diana Sosoca on February 17, 2025, but has yet to receive any official response from the legal authorities.
IICCMER remains committed to defending the memory of victims of totalitarian regimes and opposing any glorification or rehabilitation of the communist regime, in line with Romanian legal provisions and democratic values.
