Two US soldiers have beaten the owner of a bar and a friend of his in Bistrita, Northern Romania. Both victims needed hospital care, but an official investigation could not be launched against the two attackers.

The pub scandal started when the US soldiers were told to take care with their cigarettes. The two beat the owner of the bar and smashed a bottle in the head of his friend. The barman managed to pull the alarm and called the police.

But the police failed to take any measure against the two as they benefited of immunity and could only answer before the American law, as Romania has signed a deal with the US in this regard.

The US troops were in Bistrita for joint military exercises with Romanian soldiers. The US Embassy to Bucharest told public TV station TVR the two had been withdrawn to a base in Germany and would face an inquiry.