Augustin Lazar, one step closer to becoming Romania’s General Prosecutor

Romania's Superior Council of Magistracy (CMS) has approved the appointment of Augustin Lazar as the General Prosecutor of Romania. The Ministry of Justice will send its proposal to the President, who will have the final say. If President Klaus Iohannis approves Lazar for this position, he will be Romania’s General Prosecutor for three years, with the possibility to be re-appointed for one more term. Augustin Lazar, 58, has worked as a prosecutor for more than 30 years. He is now the general prosecutor of the Prosecution’s Office of the Alba Iulia Court of Appeal. The President names the General Prosecutor at the Ministry of Justice’s proposal and with CSM’s approval. The new Prosecutor has to have an experience of minimum 10 years as a judge or prosecutor. Tiberiu Nitu resigned from the position of General Prosecutor of Romania in early-February this year, after his name appeared in an abuse of office investigation carried by Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) on former Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea. Bogdan Licu, the General Prosecutor’s First Deputy, replaced him as interim General Prosecutor. Romania’s General Prosecutor coordinates the activity of all the prosecution offices in Romania, including the National Anticorruption Directorate - DNA and the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Terrorism – DIICOT. The only person who has had two consecutive mandates as General Prosecutor of Romania after 1990 is Laura Codruta Kovesi, who held this position from 2006 until 2012. Kovesi was appointed DNA chief prosecutor in 2013 and recently got her mandate renewed for three more years. Romania’s former General Prosecutor investigated for complicity to abuse of office. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com