Tuesday 29 July 2008

Romanian corruption prosecutor under fire

Who was the only person receiving praise in the latest European Commission report on Romania (and Bulgaria) in connection with the high level of corruption in the country?
  • Chief attorney and head of the anti-corruption agency (DNA), Daniel Morar.
And now guess whom the ruling National Liberal Party (PNL) and the opposing Social Democratic Party (PSD) want to get out of office when his term ends in mid-August?
  • Right, the same Daniel Morar!
NGOs united in the "Initiative for a Clean Justice" (e.g. Freedom House Romania) are opposed to these plans and are urging the Romanian justice minster Predoiu, an independent, not to follow the will of PNL and PSD. Predoiu, however, has not decided yet.

From an outsider's point of view, this would be a blow towards Brussels and most probably also a blow to the general fight against corruption in Romania. As long as those threatened by prosecution can remove the prosecutors from office (or in this case, prevent him from continuing his work), we won't see major positive developments.

It's a pity!

Background source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), 30 August 2008

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's really too bad. Maybe if the report were to be as harsh as toward Bulgaria, this would not be happening?