Romanian court says dead man can get driving licence back

BUCHAREST, Romania — Days after one Romanian court told a man he was officially dead despite evidence to the contrary, another court has declared that a man who was truly dead could get his driving licence back. A court in the northern city of Iasi on Thursday confirmed that Valerian Vasiliu should have his licence returned and be reimbursed a fine he paid for speeding. Vasiliu was fined and temporarily lost his licence in March 2017, but appealed the punishment in court and won an interim ruling.

He died in October, before the ruling was final. Police still appealed, but this month lost their appeal.

Local lawyer Gianina Porosnicu, a traffic law specialist, told the Mediafax agency that “cases like this may seem odd or even sinister,” and blamed “a legal void.” In an almost opposite situation last week, a Romanian man who had been officially declared dead lost his bid to have his death certificate cancelled.