RULING OF THE COURT OF APPEAL Journalist Cristi Popa wins the lawsuit against Profit.ro and is awarded compensatory salaries of over 40,000 Euros

Journalist Cristi Popa has won in the Court of Appeal the lawsuit against Profit.ro Publishing SA, by which he had disputed the decision by which he had been laid off in 2016, as the court decided that he would be reinstated to the job he held before his layoff, as well as the payment of compensatory salaries.

This means that Cristi Popa is entitled to receive the salary he was entitled two between the day of his layoff and until the date of the aforementioned ruling, meaning approximately 40,000 Euros.

"Profit.ro Publishing", the editor of Profit.ro, managed by Orlando Nicoară (former CEO of "Mediafax Group", who is being sued over tax evasion, embezzlement and money laundering, in the case against Adrian Sârbu), had four journalists among its shareholders (Oana Osman, former editor-in-chief at Capital, Cristi Popa, former editor-in-chief at Ziarul Financiar, head of the economic department of Mediafax, Ovidiu Tempea, ex-senior editor Mediafax, and Thomas Dincă, ex-senior editor Mediafax).

But in 2016, disagreements appeared within the management of the company.

On August 17th, the Court of Bucharest accepted the lawsuits of Ovidiu Tempea and Cristi Popa against "Profit.ro Publishing", who were disputing their layoffs.

In the Court of Bucharest, Cristi Popa partially won the lawsuit, as the court required the company to pay to the challenger the salaries for the period April 15th 2016-July 15th 2016, pertaining to the monthly gross salary of 11,406 lei. Also, the Court denied the request to annul the layoff decision no. 198/July 15th, 2016 and the payment of the pertaining salaries until the date of rehiring, as without merit.

On January 17th, the Bucharest Court of Appeal decided: "Allows the appeal formulated by appellant Popa Cristian against the defendant Profit.ro Publishing SA, filed against the civil ruling no. 11098/December 5, 2016 rendered in the dossier no. 31000/3/2016 of the Court of Bucharest, the Civil Lawsuits, Labor Conflicts and Social Security Department. Partly amends the civil ruling that was appealed, by admitting the dispute filed by plaintiff Popa Cristian against the Layoff decision no. 198/July 15th, 2016 issued by Profit.ro Publishing SA, which it annuls. Decides restoring the status of the parties to the way it was prior to the issuing of the Layoff Decisionno. 198/July 15th, 2016 by reinstating the plaintiff to the position he had prior to being laid off, in the period ranging between July 15th, 2016 and the date of the present ruling. Requires the defendant to pay to the plaintiff a compensation equal to the salaries and other rights that the employee would have been entitled to in the absence of the decision annulled, starting with the date of the layoff and until the date of the present ruling. Other than that, maintains the civil ruling that was appealed. Ruling is final".

So far, Ovidiu Tempea has lost the similar lawsuits against his former employers, but on January 10th, he has filed another lawsuit with the Court of Bucharest, for royalties.

In September 2016, BURSA wrote that even though they had been launched recently, "Profit.ro Publishing" and "N.ro Agenţia de Ştiri" SRL, which managed the News.ro agency, already owed the state money.

"Profit.ro Publishing" has accrued tax arrears (683.624 lei), social security arrears (de 641,950 lei), healthcare arrears (272,490 lei) and unemployment (30,028 lei), according to data available after the first nine months of 2017.

On the same date, "N.ro Agenţia de Ştiri" SRL had accrued tax arrears of 818,840 lei, social security - 877,305 lei, healthcare - 372.425 lei and unemployment - 40,750 lei.

In September 2016, "BURSA" wrote that the advertising on Profit.ro and News.ro was sold through "Ead.Ro Interactive", owned by Raduly Ramona-Cristina, whose business ties reached all the way to the family of Dan Pazara, communications director at OMV Petrom. In fact, "Ead.Ro Interactive" was created by Cristina Pazara, the wife of Dan Pazara, and Raluca Nicoară, who according to sources in the media market, is a relative of Orlando Nicoară, the manager of the Profit.ro and News.ro projects. On October 8th, 2015, Cristina Pazara and Raluca Nicoară decided to withdraw, switching with Raduly Ramona-Cristina.