Romanian Government takes tax evasion crimes from organized crime prosecutors’ jurisdiction

Romania’s Government approved on Wednesday an emergency ordinance that changes the organization and operation of the Directorate for Combatting Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). The new bill removes tax evasion and several other crimes from DIICOT’s jurisdiction. At the same time, it strengthens DIICOT’s structures dealing with financial investigations involving money laundering and financing terrorism. DIICOT has investigated some big tax evasion cases in recent years, including highly mediatized cases against oil companies Rompetrol, Lukoil. The changes are aimed at helping DIICOT cope with the higher number of crimes related to terrorism, organized crime and cyber-crime, according to justice minister Raluca Pruna. According to a Government press release, DIICOT should focus more on effectively responding to the "new threats of organized crime and terrorism." Romanians who might be tempted to join the terrorist group are now risking prison sentences of 5 to 12 years, according to the emergency ordinance adopted yesterday. The ordinance also gives more powers to the DIICOT chief prosecutor, similar to the chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA). The DIICOT head will be able to get involved in recruiting or dismissing prosecutors. He will also have direct control over the subordinates. DIICOT's chief prosecutor is 42-year old Daniel Horodniceanu, who took this position in May 2015. DIICOT had over 22,000 cases to investigate in 2015, up by 22% compared to 2014, or 118 cases for each prosecutor. It solved 11,700 cases, up 28% compared to 2014. Here are some of the big tax evasion cases DIICOT has investigated in the last two years: Former Romanian Finance Minister charged with setting up criminal group Turkish "biscuit king" arrested in Romania for tax evasion Former Microsoft Romania GM arrested in tax evasion case Romanian media mogul taken in for questioning in tax evasion case Romanian prosecutors seize Lukoil’s accounts abroad, for EUR 2 bln damage editor@romania-insider.com