Florin Manole says the flight to Mykonos was paid for by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania

Florin Manole claims that the private-plane trip to Mykonos on July 8 was fully financed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR), which organized an economic delegation. The former labor minister says the institution is self-financed and does not use public funds.

Manole said he attended the event to address issues related to labor legislation, based on the experience he acquired during his term in office. He noted that the trip lasted only one day and that he considered it legitimate to accept an invitation from a professional organization representing the interests of Romanian companies.

The flight sparked controversy after the list of the 13 passengers was published. They included former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, CCR judge Cristian Deliorga, former ministers Nicolae Bănicioiu and Ovidiu Silaghi, UDMR senator István-Loránt Antal, businesspeople, and representatives of state-owned companies.

The PNL and USR leader Dominic Fritz criticized the participation of former officials and called for explanations regarding the costs and source of funding. PNL representatives contrasted the trip with politicians’ public discourse about Romanians’ economic difficulties, while Fritz accused them of operating a system based on privileges and connections.「slug」: