Romanian minister denies allegations

I never posed in my underwear, as you had wrongly stated in your article. I understand that you won't take responsibility for the corruption allegations stated in your article, as long as you based them on sources from the Romanian media, so I hope you will not hesitate in informing your readers that in Romania, as in all the other European countries, it is the justice system, and not the media, which determines whether a person is corrupt or not. I would like to point out that I was never investigated for corruption either by the justice system nor by Romania's parliamentary committee, formed by opposition representatives, to which you have referred in the article.

As far as the accusations brought against me by that committee, I would like to mention to you that the prosecutors found these charges groundless and the case was cleared. However, you opted to present this information as a biased opinion of my press department rather than an official decision of a legal institution of Romania, a decision that leaves no room for interpretation.

The above-mentioned article also quotes Ms Pipidi Alina Mungiu, whose unsubstantiated allegations related to favorable public funding access for my husband's contracts, or my privileged access to the president, represent a defamation of my public persona and only serve to damage my image.

Your publication did a thing which I find unacceptable. It has undermined my leadership and managing abilities, especially in regards to the distribution of European funds for regional development in Romania.

Elena Udrea is the Romanian Minister of Regional Development and Tourism