Romania’s chief anticorruption prosecutor gets the Reader’s Digest European of the Year 2016 award

Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate – DNA’s chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi has received the European of the Year 2016 award from the famous Reader’s Digest magazine. Kovesi, 42, received this award as a recognition of her role in the fight against top-level corruption in Romania in the last three years. Reader’s Digest has been offering this award since 1996 to individuals who best embody the traditions and values of Europe. The February issue of all Reader’s Digest magazine’s editions in Europe will feature Laura Codruta Kovesi’s profile signed by Now York Times journalist Andrew Higgins. The article focuses on how the former college basketball player has followed on her father’s footsteps to become a prosecutor and how she has shaken the political scene in Romania with her anticorruption efforts. May top-level Romanian politicians and wealthy local businessmen have been investigated and prosecuted by the DNA since May 2013 when Kovesi took over as DNA’s chief prosecutor. Among these were former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, several former ministers, and many members of the Parliament, mayors and local administration officials. Over 800 people have been indicted for corruption by DNA in the first nine months of 2015. Thus, DNA has become one of the most trusted institutions in Romania. DNA’s activity has also brought Kovesi a lot of international attention and many top-level newspapers have written about the results of her activity. Kovesi is the second Romanian who has got this award. In 2010, Iana Matei, the president of the Reaching Out Romania foundation, was also designated European of the Year, for her efforts to help human trafficking victims in Romania. Who is the Romanian included in a list of 28 people “shaping, shaking and stirring Europe”? BBC: Romania finally starts to get serious with organised crime Romania’s 20 most powerful women Comment: Is the anti-corruption revolution in Romania about to overthrow the government? editor@romania-insider.com