Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. Romania anti-sleaze drive reaches elite

Romania anti-sleaze drive reaches elite

February 20, 2015

BBC News


The long faces emerging from the building resemble a soap opera procession of the once high and mighty.

Former government ministers, media moguls, judges, prosecutors, and even former President Traian Basescu's favourite, Elena Udrea - dubbed "the president's blonde" - are all under investigation.

Ms Udrea, a former minister of tourism and former presidential candidate, was arrested last week. She is currently an MP.

The DNA's latest targets include Social Democrat Prime Minister Victor Ponta's mother, sister and his brother-in-law Iulian Hertanu.

Eight years after joining the EU, and 13 years after the DNA was set up, Romania seems to be finally getting serious with organised crime - and winning praise from the European Commission.

EU pressure

"Romania is on the right course and needs to stick to it," said Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans last month, commenting on the latest EU report on Romania's battle with corruption.

"Tackling corruption remains the biggest challenge and the biggest priority."

The EU's Co-operation and Verification Mechanism was set up in 2007 to monitor judicial reform and the fight against corruption in Romania and Bulgaria. Positive reports are crucial for Romania to be allowed into the EU's open-border regime, the nations in the Schengen group.

Last year alone, 1,138 leading public figures, including top politicians, businessmen, judges and prosecutors, were convicted by the DNA, whose crackdown is being led by chief prosecutor Laura Kovesi - a rate of more than four a day (excluding holidays). So what has changed in Romania?

"In just three years, both big parties - the Orange [Democratic Liberals] and the Reds [Social Democrats] - have been defeated in elections," says analyst Alina Mungiu-Pippidi. She is president of the Romanian Academic Society, an independent policy institute.

The result is that what she calls the "trans-party mafia" that used to run the country, hand out procurement deals involving huge sums of EU money, dodge tax and buy off prosecutors and judges is in disarray.


Prosecutors at Romania's DNA are going after some big fish now

Under surveillance

Equally important, she says, is the character of Klaus Iohannis, elected Romanian president last November. As a political outsider, he is not a signatory of the secret deals between the main parties that have plagued Romanian politics for 25 years.

A typical DNA conviction was that of Monica Ridzi, 37, the former sports and youth minister. She was sentenced to five years in prison for abuse of her position, by spending $800,000 (£518,000) of state funds on youth concerts at inflated prices, using her favourite companies. The proceeds were allegedly divided between herself and her party.

The DNA relies on the secret services for wiretaps of senior figures. "Until now, the services were rather selective about who they investigated. But no longer," says Ms Mungiu-Pippidi.

The text of this article has been partially taken from the publication:
Read in full - click here
Romania’s former PM Marcel Ciolacu named Social Democrats’ candidate for Buzău County Council presidency

Marcel Ciolacu, former prime minister and president of the Social Democrats (PSD) in Romania, has been officially nominated as the party's candidate for the presidency of the Buzău County Council in the upcoming local elections scheduled for December 7. Speaking at the announcement event organized by PSD's Buzău branch, Ciolacu said his decision to run […]

Romanian president Nicușor Dan congratulates newly elected president of Ireland

Romanian president Nicușor Dan congratulated the newly elected president of Ireland, Catherine Connolly, in a message posted on social media on Sunday, October 26. “Congratulations to Catherine Connolly on her election as President of Ireland. I am looking forward to working together to develop our bilateral and European cooperation, building upon our countries' excellent relations […]

Romania deploys new F-16 squadron for NATO air policing missions, ministry says

Romania has activated a new F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron to carry out NATO air policing missions, the Ministry of Defense announced. The 48th Fighter Squadron of the 71st Air Base “General Emanoil Ionescu” in Câmpia Turzii began operations last week, on October 20, under NATO command. The missions aim to safeguard Romania’s airspace and strengthen […]

Bucharest’s District 6 mayor Ciprian Ciucu runs for general mayor, poll shows tight race

Bucharest’s District 6 mayor, Ciprian Ciucu, confirmed on Monday, October 27, that he will run for the position of general mayor of the capital city, saying the decision followed “long and careful reflection” on where he could make the greatest impact. His announcement came as a new Avangarde poll showed a close race for Bucharest’s […]

Oradea designated Romania’s Youth Capital 2027

The city of Oradea, in western Romania, has been designated Romania’s Youth Capital 2027 following a national competition, according to the City Hall.  The designation took place during a special event organized in Vaslui, the current holder of the title, where the Oradea City Hall was represented by deputy mayor Teofil Filimon. “Today, in Oradea, […]

Minimum wage emerges as source of tensions in Romania's ruling coalition

The minimum wage threatens to develop into a new subject of disagreement among the ruling coalition's members in Romania, as prime minister Ilie Bolojan and, more recently, president Nicusor Dan argue for no revision as of January, while the Social Democrats (PSD) advocate for the enforcement of the EU Directive on the issue already legislated […]