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.’

Maia Sandu (Photo: presedinte.md)
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Moldova stays on path to Europe

Moldova’s pro-European president Maia Sandu won a new  4-year term in Sunday’s second round run-off, with over 55% of the votes cast in the...

Moldova stays on path to Europe
The head of the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP), Toni Grebla
Today in the News Monday, 04 November 2024

Election campaigns in Romania

    The campaign for the general election in Romania started last week, at midnight on Thursday, and will end on 30 November. During this...

Election campaigns in Romania
November 1 - National Radio Day
Today in the News Friday, 01 November 2024

Radio Romania 96

Radio Romania has celebrated 96 years since it first entered the listeners houses from Romania and abroad. On November 1 1928 the Romanians were able...

Radio Romania 96
(Photo: pixabay@Engin_Akyurt)
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Romanians’ concerns

Romanians and Austrians are the most satisfied with their lives among the inhabitants of Central and Eastern Europe, but the former are significantly...

Romanians’ concerns
Today in the News Thursday, 31 October 2024

Republic of Moldova, crucial final

On November 3, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova have to choose, for the position of head of state, between the pro-European Maia Sandu, the...

Republic of Moldova, crucial final
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Drones, a security issue

The Romanian Ministry of National Defense has placed under decisional transparency a bill that improves airspace security measures. The bill, which...

Drones, a security issue
Today in the News Wednesday, 30 October 2024

The Fugitive Law is constitutional

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has rejected the referral of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) in relation to the so-called...

The Fugitive Law is constitutional
Today in the News Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Challenges of an ageing population

Romanians are getting fewer and older.   The population of Romania in mid-2024 was 21,779,000, down 1% compared to June 1, 2023. According to...

Challenges of an ageing population

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