Whistleblowers are an essential source of information for investigation and public prosecution services. The correct transposition and effective implementation of Directive (EU)2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law (Whistleblowers’ protection Directive) therefore is of direct operational relevance for the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. If you fail to protect whistleblowers, you limit detection. If you do not detect, you cannot investigate and prosecute. The European Chief Prosecutor has duly noted that on 29 June 2022, the Romanian Chamber of Deputies finally adopted a law aiming to transpose the Whistleblowers’ protection Directive. Based on the preliminary analysis of the law, and especially of the amendments made to the draft law on 28 June 2022, just before its adoption by the plenary, the European Chief Prosecutor is assessing whether some of these provisions would be contrary to the Whistleblowers’ protection Directive, and represent a step backwards with regard to the current level of protection, established under national law since 2004. The main point of concern is that this could have a chilling effect, discouraging potential whistleblowers in Romania and negatively affecting the level of detection of EU fraud. De facto, this would lead to a deterioration of the existing system ensuring the proper functioning of investigation and public prosecution services in relation to the investigation and prosecution of fraud, including tax fraud, corruption or other breaches of Union law relating to the implementation of the Union budget or to the protection of the financial interests of the Union. It is important to recall, in addition, that the EPPO has not yet received the nomination of 9 European Delegated Prosecutors from Romania and that there has been a considerable delay in granting the EPPO office in Romania an adequate number of judicial police officers in support of its operations. The European Chief Prosecutor is considering whether this persisting situation, combined with the latest developments would warrant a report to the European Commission in line with Recital 16 of Regulation (EU) 2020/2092 of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union Budget.
The fund Cultura Face Bine, a national funding mechanism for cultural projects backed by private-sector financing, will begin supporting local cultural organizations in 2026. The fund aims to support grassroots cultural initiatives with a proven impact in their communities and which need resources to continue, develop, or transform their activities. The funding mechanism has been […]
The European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday, December 11, that it is referring Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to meet obligations under Ambient Air Quality Directives. According to the Commission, Romania has not ensured that its national air quality monitoring network complies with legally required standards on […]
The Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) held an unprecedented press conference on Thursday, December 11, in response to allegations raised in a recent media investigation published by Recorder, with court president Liana Arsenie firmly rejecting the claims. However, at the start of the press event, a judge from within the institution publicly stated that the […]
Romania’s Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issued its first response to the Recorder documentary alleging systemic manipulation within the justice system, calling the investigation an amplification of a “campaign to destabilize judicial authority.” The council said on Thursday, December 11, that it will evaluate what measures need to be taken following the report. In a […]
MedLife, Romania’s largest private medical services network, announced on Wednesday, December 10, that it reached a market capitalization of EUR 1 billion on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The milestone secures its position as “the most valuable healthcare company” in the country. The achievement came nine years after MedLife’s listing on BVB in December 2016, […]