Romania’s former DNA chief prosecutor will continue anticorruption fight at new job

Laura Codruta Kovesi will use the experience acquired during the years she worked as chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Department (DNA) at her new job. Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar decided on Wednesday, July 11, to delegate Kovesi to a post of prosecutor at the Guidance and Control Service within the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. There, she will be responsible for the implementation of the National Anticorruption Strategy for the period 2016 - 2020 at the level of the Public Ministry. Her role will involve updating anticorruption strategies and developing strategies for prosecutor’s offices. Lazar took this decision a few hours after the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) decided that Laura Codruta Kovesi should return to the Sibiu office of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). She previously worked at DIICOT Sibiu until 2006 when she was appointed Prosecutor General of Romania, a position she held until 2012. She was then appointed chief prosecutor of DNA in 2013. She was revoked from this position on July 9 this year, by presidential decree, in accordance with the decision of the Constitutional Court (CCR). President Klaus Iohannis said that his decision to dismiss Kovesi from the position of DNA chief prosecutor should be understood as “a step towards respecting the Constitution and the rule of law”. He also said the fight against corruption will continue in Romania “in full force.” Romanian anticorruption head reacts to dismissal: Today’s episode is not a defeat Romanian MP invites former anticorruption head to join his party Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com (photo source: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea)