Romanian anti-organized crime head: Criminal code changes will affect thousands of cases

More than 4,700 cases will be closed if the changes to the criminal codes will come into force, according to Daniel Horodniceanu, the chief prosecutor of the Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). This will be the result of the provision that says that the cases will be closed if the in personam prosecution doesn’t begin after a year, Horodniceanu said, according to local Digi24. “I believe there are 4,770 cases,” he added. The ruling coalition wants to bring several changes to the criminal codes. A recent statement of the Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea, which he made after being sentenced to three years and six months in prison for instigation to abuse office, led to the idea that the PSD-ALDE coalition may try to pass the changes by emergency ordinance (OUG) adopted by the government, in a try to speed up the process. This has triggered many negative reactions and even street protests. However, both Liviu Dragnea and ALDE president Calin Popescu Tariceanu later said this option is not being considered. Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com