Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said on July 3 he has asked the judicial inspection body to audit the management activity of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and that of the general prosecutor’s office, two institutions which have not been assessed for ten years. 

The DNA has been under pressure in recent months as it opposed planned changes to legislation that would have weakened the Romanian anti-corruption fight. The head of the DNA has been the target of accusations by the owner of Romania TV station, fugitive businessman Sebastian Ghita, and several politicians.

However, its head Laura Codruta Kovesi still enjoys public and international support. Thousands of Romanians showed their support for the DNA and Kovesi during the large anti-corruption protests organised this winter. While several influential politicians are understood to want to remove her as head of the institution, such a step would probably trigger more protests in the country.

Back in March, Toader, who also served as justice minister in the previous government, assessed Kovesi and the general prosecutor, after the Constitutional Court ruled that the public ministry broke the law during an investigation related to the adoption of a controversial decree partly decriminalising abuse of office. At that time, Toader decided to not start procedures to remove the two from their positions. This decision was harshly criticised by the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, who was seen one of the beneficiaries of weakened anti-corruption legislation. However, Toader was appointed by the PSD as justice minister in the new government, after the previous administration was ousted in June. This has raised questions about the reasons behind his nomination in the new cabinet.

“I think it is time for clarifications at the DNA. Through that report I presented regarding the way emergency ordinance 13 [partly decriminalising abuse of office] was investigated, I stressed the need that the DNA's activity should be carried out within constitutional limits. I strongly support the continuation of the anti-corruption fight, but I am asking you to understand that the fight against corruption does not mean only the DNA, only punishment and convictions, it means first and foremost prevention of corruption,” Toader told a press conference, News.ro reported..

Toader added that he had asked for a management audit at the two institutions and expressed the hope that the assessments will show that “we don’t have selective justice”.

“We need fair justice, we support the anti-corruption fight, but at the same time, as justice minister, I cannot see only the good part, that many defendants are discovered and convicted, I also have to see the negative part. Unfortunately, many Romanian citizens are arrested, investigated, sent to trial, convicted and later it is decided that they are not guilty which is a tragedy and more than a shadow on the Romanian justice,” the minister added.

Recently, the institution has been hit by internal conflicts, with Kovesi asking for two prosecutors to be removed from their head of department positions. She also faces new accusations, after recordings of anticorruption prosecutors’ meetings she attended were leaked to the media. In the recordings, Kovesi appeared to be putting pressure on prosecutors to indict a more significant number of high profile politicians. Kovesi claimed that the recording was arranged in a way that changed the meaning of her words.