Romanian judge, politicians, and business figures take private flights to Mykonos and Nice

Flights to Nice and Mykonos

Two private flights operated by Toyo Aviation in early July 2026 transported Romanian officials, politicians, and business figures to destinations in France and Greece. The first flight departed on 3 July from Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport in Constanța aboard a Bombardier Challenger 300 aircraft bound for Nice on the French Riviera. Passengers on that flight included Romanian Constitutional Court (CCR) judge Cristian Deliorga, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR) president Mihai Daraban, and Constanța businessman Florin Cârstocea, along with members of their families. Deliorga and Cârstocea confirmed their presence on the flight to Nice, describing it as a private event, while Deliorga declined to specify who covered the travel expenses. Cârstocea, an investor in regional real estate and renewable energy, previously faced a National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) case concerning the Riviera Residence Hotel, which was closed in 2021 due to the statute of limitations.

The passengers on the Greek charter

A second flight departed Bucharest on 8 July aboard an Embraer Legacy 600 private aircraft bound for the Greek island of Mykonos with 13 passengers on board. Press estimates placed the cost of the private charter flight at approximately 50,000 euros. The passenger manifest included Judge Deliorga, former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, and former Labour Minister Petre-Florin Manole. Other passengers included former Health Minister Nicolae Bănicioiu, former Transport Minister Ovidiu Ioan Silaghi, Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) Senator István-Loránt Antal, and Bucharest National Airports Company director general Bogdan Stelian Mîndrescu. The flight also carried business executives, including Grampet Group owner Gruia Stoica, who holds a final criminal conviction for buying influence, Oil Terminal commercial director Gabriel Daraban, CCIR president Mihai Daraban, Florin Cârstocea, Ion Virgil Lixandru, and Marius Cătălin Croitoru.

Explanations from organisers and participants

Following the emergence of the passenger list, Petre-Florin Manole issued a statement clarifying his participation in the Greek trip as part of an economic delegation. Manole stated that the travel lasted a single day and addressed employment policy.

The economic delegation on 8 July was organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, which covered all related costs. The Chamber is self-financed, does not use public funds, and has the right to organise its own events.

CCIR president Mihai Daraban confirmed that the Chamber organised and funded the flight to Mykonos from its own revenue streams rather than public allocations. The institution stated that the mission focused on international commercial ties.

The trip referred to was intended for a meeting with partners from outside Europe, who were in the region during that period.

When questioned regarding his presence on the aircraft, former Prime Minister Victor Ponta said he did not recall whether he had participated in the flight.

Political reactions and institutional demands

The flight details prompted immediate reactions from political figures in Bucharest. The National Liberal Party (PNL) demanded public explanations from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) regarding Manole and Ponta, contrasting the party's social platform with luxury travel to Mykonos. PNL urged the Constitutional Court and competent authorities to examine whether Judge Deliorga's participation in private flights alongside active politicians and convicted business figures compromised judicial independence. Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu also criticized PSD leadership on social media, accusing the party of evading scrutiny regarding the private flights and drawing comparisons to previous controversies involving luxury travel.