A new topic on the political agenda has made it to headlines in Romania recently, threatening to cause disagreements in the ruling coalition the Social Liberal Union (USL). USL co – head Crin Antonescu (in picture) recently said he'd be against it if prime Minister Victor Ponta, also co-leader of the USL, appointed Codruţa Kovesi as head of Romania's Anti-Corruption agency DNA.

“I don't agree, I am against this, I think it is a big mistake, from the judicial point of view, as well as from the political point of view to name Kovesi,” said Antonescu. PM Victor Ponta is also currently the interim Justice Minister and has to appoint a new head for the DNA. Antonescu said he told the PM about his views, but added he does not want to influence the naming of chief prosecutor and has not made any proposal. Kovesi is seen as a person close to the president Traian Basescu, who is an opponent of the USL and a member of the opposition Democratic Liberal Party PDL. The quarrels between president and parliament since the USL came to power have at times been bitter, rancorous and personal.

The PM said an important opinion about this naming would come from the European partners. “I don't want to hear that the USL wants to name prosecutors to protect this or that person. […] There are areas where the opinion from Brussels is a benchmark, this is the reality,” said Ponta.

Codruţa Kovesi is Romania's former general prosecutor and she was sent last year to Brussels, where she represents Romania's Foreign Affairs Ministry on justice reform and anti-corruption. Her mandate is of three years.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Crin Antonescu's website)