Update: Romania's former anticorruption head, investigated just as she prepares to be heard for European Prosecutor

Laura Codruta Kovesi, the former chief-prosecutor of Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), was called in for questioning by the newly established section for investigating magistrates on the same day that she is supposed to appear before the European Parliament's LIBE committee for the final interview for the European Chief Prosecutor position - February 26.

Kovesi confirmed for local radio station Europa FM that she was called in for questioning as a suspect in a case in which the charges against her are abuse of office, taking a bribe and false testimony. "The subpoena comes just before I go to the European Parliament for hearings, but it's probably also a coincidence," she said ironically.

"It's obvious that, through this method, someone is trying to stop me from participating in this procedure and from getting this position," she added. Kovesi also said that, in her almost 24 years of activity, she has never been targeted by disciplinary or criminal investigations.

Laura Codruta Kovesi submitted her candidacy for the European Chief Prosecutor position last year. After an evaluation process and interviews carried out by a committee of independent specialists, she emerged as the candidate with the best qualification for this position. The shortlist with the three candidates proposed for this position also includes a German and a Frenchman.

Bundestag's Chairman of the European Affairs Committee Gunther Krichbaum said on Thursday, February 7, in Bucharest that France and Germany could reach a compromise to support Kovesi for European Chief Prosecutor. Austrian justice minister Josef Moser also stated that his country would back Kovesi.

The largest political group in the European Parliament, the European People's Party (EPP), also supports Romanian's candidate for the post of European Public Prosecutor, Esteban Gonzalez Pons, Vice-President of this group, said on Tuesday, February 12.

Meanwhile, Romanian justice minister Tudorel Toader, who forced Kovesi's dismissal form DNA's helm in 2018, said he would try his best to block her from being appointed as European Prosecutor. He sent a letter to the other justice ministers in the EU informing them of the way Kovesi was dismissed from DNA's helm, according to