RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

The Judicial System at Full Steam

It has been confirmed once again that the National Anti-Corruption Directorate is doing the job it was created for

The Judicial System at Full Steam
The Judicial System at Full Steam

, 21.11.2014, 13:30

In the last two or three years, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA), the spearhead in the fight against the worm gnawing at the root of Romanian public administration, managed to make up for lost ground and lost time, and not just in terms of image. With a huge wave of investigations, many of them resulting in prison sentences, the Directorate has managed to get through the message that no one is above the law, irrespective of reputation, position, political affiliation or influence.



What is more, for the first time in the judicial history of post-Communist Romania, a standing public senior prosecutor is under criminal investigation. The head of the organized crime division (DIICOT), Alina Bica, who headed an organization with an otherwise good image, was indicted in an investigation for abuse of public office. She is accused of irregularities committed while she was an undersecretary in the Ministry of Justice, and member of a committee that operated retrocessions, the process of returning to former owners lands and real estate confiscated by the communist regime under nationalization. In 2011, she and two colleagues, also under investigation, are alleged to have facilitated restitution payments for a piece of land 13 hectares in size, near Bucharest, payments which were based on a gross overvaluation, ending up costing the Romanian state 62 million Euros.



At the same time, also on Thursday, the Supreme Court approved the motion filed by anti-corruption prosecutors for the pre-emptive 30-day arrest of Social Democratic MP Ioan Adam, whose party currently dominates the ruling coalition. He is involved in a case that similarly involves the return of nationalized properties, which this time caused damages worth 300 million Euros. At the same time, the Supreme Court decided that Conservative MP Ion Dinita, whose party is also in the ruling coalition, should be investigated without detention, but under judicial restrictions. Dinita is suspected of illegal action in handling public contracts in the city of Brasov. In his case, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate estimates damages to the state budget at 7 million Euros.



Both rulings of the Supreme Court are not final, and the three cases do not bring anything new in the judicial landscape in the country. The three under investigation, well placed in the higher echelons of public administration at the time of the alleged violations, were using well-established corrupt practices, such as overvaluation, illegal retrocession and preferential public acquisition contracts. Then again, the Directorate is working on no less than 4,800 cases at this time. In spite of corruption taking more and more inventive forms, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate chief Laura Codruta Kovesi has issued a message: ‘They can’t outsmart us.’

European Commission (photo: © European Union - Source: EC - Audiovisual Service / Photographer: Christophe Licoppe)
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

Political agreement on the new European Commission

    The leaders of the three major political groups in the European Parliament have given the green light to the members of the next...

Political agreement on the new European Commission
Photo: aep.ro
Today in the News Thursday, 21 November 2024

13 for Romania

    In Romania, presidential elections usually spark the greatest interest and emotions. Even more so this year, when the two rounds of the...

13 for Romania
Gas consumption in the EU (Credits: magnascan-pixabay-com)
Today in the News Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading

On Tuesday, the Romanian company Romgaz launched its first issue of bonds on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, worth 500 million EUR. Romgaz is the...

Romania’s natural gas, available for trading
Photo: roaep.ro
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania ahead of the presidential election

Next month, President Klaus Iohannis will end his second and last five-year term in office according to the Romanian Constitution. The so-called...

Romania ahead of the presidential election
Today in the News Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels

NATO welcomes Romania’s continuous efforts and its significant contribution to strengthening the Alliance and Euro-Atlantic security, NATO...

Romania’s Prime Minister on a visit to Brussels
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

Downward forecast from the European Commission

Romania’s economic growth estimate has been recalculated by the European Commission (EC), at a value well below the initially established...

Downward forecast from the European Commission
Today in the News Monday, 18 November 2024

35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall

The fall of the Berlin Wall, 35 years ago, represented for Romanians an encouragement in their fight for freedom, and the removal of the Iron Curtain...

35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall
Today in the News Friday, 15 November 2024

European minimum wage in Romania

The law on the introduction of the European minimum wage in Romania was promulgated by President Klaus Iohannis. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has...

European minimum wage in Romania

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company