SC MEDIA BIT SOFTWARE SRL

NR. REG. COM. : J40/3954/2004

CIF : RO 16232538
SEDIUL: CALEA VICTORIEI NR. 21-23
ET. 4, CAM. 41, SECTOR 3
BUCURESTI

In atentia domnului Christopher J. Clark,

reprezentant Latham & Watkins LLP

Va multumim pentru scrisoare si disponibilitatea de a ne pune la dispozitie informatii si punctul oficial de

vedere al companiei pe care o reprezentati in legatura cu afacerile derulate de Circinus in Romania, insa
permiteti-ne in prealabil cateva precizari importante.

HotNews.ro a preluat investigatia publicata de site-ul Mcclatchydc.com in data de 7 februarie, in care

publicatia americana se intreba in ce masura compania Circinus a reusit sa obtine contracte pe piata
romaneasca: “Circinus has so far partnered with a national research institute in Romania to try to win a
contract, though it’s unclear whether that bid – or any others – have yet been successful.”

Hotnews a incercat sa lamureasca aceste aspecte cu buna credina si respectand toate regulile profesionale.
Pe baza unor informatii initial publice, ulterior sterse de pe site-ul ziarului Adevarul, am descoperit acordul
semnat intre Circinus si Romarm in data de 1 februarie. Evenimentul, desi prezinta interes public major, nu
a fost comunicat de nici una din partile semnatare.

Pe data de 8 februarie, in ziua publicarii articolului despre “acordul secret”, HotNews.ro a transmis pe
adresa Circinus urmatoarele intrebari “On February 1, 2018, you attended the signing of an agreement
between Romarm company and Circinus Defense SRL. Considering that the agreement has been presented
as part of the US-Romanian strategic partnership, we kindly ask you to explain what the role of Circinus
will be as part of the agreement. What services will the company provide as part of this agreement? What is
the value of the agreement?”.

Mentionam ca nu ne-am limitat la transmiterea acestui mail, ci am a apelat numerele de telefon ale
companiei. Toate aceste demersuri pot fi oricand probate ca dovada a bunei credinte si profesionalismului cu
care a fost tratat acest subiect. Mai mult, in cursul diminetii de vineri, 16 februarie, un reporter HotNews.ro
s-a deplasat la sediul Circinus Defense SRL pentru a obtine un punct de vedere, insa n-a gasit acolo nici un
reprezentant.

Din toate aceste motive, consideram ca afirmatia dvs ca articolele publicate “are defamatory in nature” este
eronata. Va rugam, de asemenea, sa indicati in mod concret care informatii din articolele publicate sunt
incorecte sau gresit interpretate.

SC Media Bit Software SRL

Calea Victoriei, nr. 21-23, etaj. 4, sector 3, Bucuresti`
Tel. 314 88 12 (14), fax 314 88 15 website:www.hotnews.ro
“No attempt were made to verify the fats” reprezinta de asemenea o acuzatie fara suport in realitate,
HotNews.ro putand face oricand dovada contactarii tuturor partilor interesate in mod repetat (Romarm,
Circinus, ministerul economiei, miniserul apararii, inclusiv Ambasdada Statelor Unite la Bucuresti) prin
adrese oficiale, mail-uri si apeluri telefonice. HotNews.ro nu a publicat informatii despre acordul semnat
decat in momentul obtinerii confirmarilor oficiale, insa din pacate nici una dintre partile interesante nu s-a
aratat dispusa sa comunice detaliile despre acord, esentiale pentru avea o imagine completa asupra intregii
afaceri.

Acordul semnat intre Circinus si Romarm ramane in continuare un document secret, desi HotNews.ro a
solicitat oficial ministerului econmiei si Romarm inca din data de 9 februarie transmiterea acestui document.
Pana la data redactarii acestui raspuns, 19 februarie 2017, n-am primit nici un raspuns. Prin urmare, orice
discutie despre continutul acordului si cat de benefic ar fi el nu are sens in acest moment, iar suspiciunile
sunt perfect legitime in lipsa oricaror clarificari oficiale.

Ca dovada suplimentara a bunei credinte a HotNews.ro, suntem dispusi sa publicam punctul de vedere
transmis de dvs daca avem acordul explicit pentru a face acest lucru. Ne manifestam interesul pentru un
interviu cu orice reprezentant al companiei Circinus care poate oferi informatii de interes public despre
acordurile incheiate cu companii romanesti de stat sau cu institutii ale statului roman. Pentru a elimina orice
fel de confuzii, ne-a ajuta raspunsuri la cateva intrebari specifice din partea domnului Elliot Broidy.

Va multumim si va asiguram de intreaga noastra colaborare,

Dan Tapalaga
editor coordonator

SC Media Bit Software SRL

Calea Victoriei, nr. 21-23, etaj. 4, sector 3, Bucuresti`
Tel. 314 88 12 (14), fax 314 88 15 website:www.hotnews.ro
Attn: Mr. Christopher J. Clark,
representative of Latham & Watkins LLP

Thank you for your letter and your availability to provide information and an official point of view of the
company you represent, related to business pursued by Circinus in Romania. But please allow us to first
specify several important facts.

HotNews.ro covered the investigation report published on the Mcclatchydc.com website on February 7, in
which the US publication was considering to what extent the Circinus company had managed to obtain
contracts on the Romanian market: “Circinus has so far partnered with a national research institute in
Romania to try to win a contract, though it’s unclear whether that bid – or any others – have yet been
successful.”

HotNews.ro tried to find out the facts in good faith and in compliance with all professional rules. Based on
initially public information, later deleted from the website of newspaper Adevarul, we found out about the
agreement signed by Circinus and Romarm on February 1. The event, while of major public interest, had not
been communicated by any of the signatories of the agreement.

On February 8, when the article about the "secret deal" was published, HotNews.ro submitted the following
questions to Circinus, via its website contact page: “On February 1, 2018, you attended the signing of an
agreement between Romarm company and Circinus Defense SRL. Considering that the agreement has been
presented as part of the US-Romanian strategic partnership, we kindly ask you to explain what the role of
Circinus will be as part of the agreement. What services will the company provide as part of this agreement?
What is the value of the agreement?”

We went further and attempted to contact the company by phone. All these attempts can be proven to show
the good faith and professionalism of our reporting on the subject. Additionally, in the morning of Friday,
February 16, a HotNews.ro reporter went to the headquarters of Circinus Defense SRL in Bucharest to
obtain a point of view, but could not find any representative of the company there.

For all these reasons, we believe that your consideration that the published articles are "defamatory in
nature" is erroneous. We would also ask you to specify which information in the published articles is
incorrect or misinterpreted.

“No attempt were made to verify the facts” - this is is also a groundless accusation, as HotNews.ro can
prove it contacted all interested parties repeatedly (Romarm, Circinus, the Economy Ministry, the Defense
Ministry, also the US Embassy to Bucharest) via official address, e-mail or phone calls. HotNews.ro has not
published information about the signed agreement until after official confirmation was obtained, but
unfortunately none of the interested parties showed availability to communicate details of the accord, which
are essential to have a clear image on the whole business.

SC Media Bit Software SRL

Calea Victoriei, nr. 21-23, etaj. 4, sector 3, Bucuresti`
Tel. 314 88 12 (14), fax 314 88 15 website:www.hotnews.ro
The agreement signed by Circinus and Romarm remains a secret document, despite HotNews.ro asking the
Economy Ministry and Romarm officially as early as February 9 to send the document for consulation. By
the time this answer was edited, February 19, 2018 we did not received any answer. So any discussion about
the content of the accord and how beneficial it would be is pointless for the time being and suspicions are
completely legitimate in the absence of officially presented details.

As further proof of HotNews.ro good faith, we are ready to publish the point of view send by you, if we
have the explicit agreement to do so. We also share our interest in an interview with any representative of
Circinus who could offer information of public interest about the agreements signed with Romanian state-
owned companies or with institutions of the Romanian state. To avoid any confusion, answers from Mr.
Elliot Broidy to several specific questions would be of great help.

Thank you and we assure you of our interest of full collaboration.

Sincerely,
Dan Tapalaga
Coordinating editor
+40751033201

SC Media Bit Software SRL

Calea Victoriei, nr. 21-23, etaj. 4, sector 3, Bucuresti`
Tel. 314 88 12 (14), fax 314 88 15 website:www.hotnews.ro