Romania’s anti-corruption chief fired amidst concerns from EU
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After months of legal turmoil, Romania’s anti-corruption chief has been fired. Her sacking and controversial legal reforms to weaken corruption charges is raising concern in Brussels.
DW: Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Monday dismissed the country’s top anti-graft prosecutor, Laura Codruta Kovesi, in a move that is likely to raise international concern.
Iohannis had for months refused to sack the popular head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (DNA), who the left-wing government accused of overstepping her authority and ordered dismissed.
The president said he was forced to comply with a Constitutional Court ruling in May backing the demand of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) to sack Kovesi.
“In a state governed by the rule of law decisions of the Constitutional Court must be respected,” Iohannis’ office said in a statement, adding that the “fight against corruption will not stop.”
Flanked by dozens of prosecutors, a defiant Kovesi made a televised address calling on Romanians to continue to fight corruption.
“I have a message for the Romanian people: corruption can be defeated. Don’t give up!” she said.
She also accused politicians of seeking controversial legal reforms to weaken criminal convictions for “protection for the past, the present and the future.”
