On Thursday 22 February, Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader triggered a “revocation procedure” against the chief DNA (national anti-corruption department) prosecutor, Laura Codruta Kövesi, AFP reports.
During a press conference, the minister from the left-wing majority accused Kövesi of having infringed upon the Constitution and “damaged the country’s image” abroad.
On Friday 23 February, the European Commission said it was closely following the matter, “with concern”.
On Wednesday 21 February, Romania’s Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, who was in Brussels, had reassured her counterparts as to her country’s intentions. Jean-Claude Juncker had even said he was “not particularly concerned” by the situation of rule of law in Romania (see EUROPE 11966).
Toader spoke of “intolerable action”, saying “the fight against corruption does not conceal non-constitutional, illegal and defamatory behaviour against the authority of the public institutions”.
Toader reproaches Kövesi, whose mandate runs until April 2019, with “authoritarian behaviour”, of being implicated in investigations conducted by subordinates, but also of having “criticised draft laws on justice” in interviews with international media. Such criticism “has irremediably affected Romania’s image”, he said.
A Commission spokesman pointed out, on Friday, the good results achieved to date by the DNA. He said the Commission, however, reserved itself the right, at any moment, to modify those positive conclusions set out in its last report under the “cooperation and verification” mechanism, should it have proof that the work against corruption has been jeopardised. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)