Just as soon as Romania has been let into the EU, there's double, double, toil and trouble brewing. A Romanian judge has been fined and demoted for practicing witchcraft in her court.

Elena Simionescu is alleged to have splashed mud, water, "other liquids," as well as salt and pepper, on fellow judges' desks. Should one think it was a simple culinary event, she admitted to sprinkling "holy water" on her co-workers' desks, "in the spirit of good Christians' rituals." Other folks are more concerned: some were "convinced that she was casting spells." The official line was that she used "unorthodox methods" in her court.

But, I guess it's not too surprising, considering (according to the Sofia News Agency) that that country legalized witchcraft as an official profession last year.

Filed under: Romania