Tuesday

3rd Oct 2023

Diplomats back Romania's Kovesi for EU top prosecutor

  • Romanians took part in mass demonstrations as the government in recent years tried to roll back the fight on corruption (Photo: Reuters)

The majority of EU countries' ambassadors on Thursday (19 September) voted to support Romania's former anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi to be the EU's first public prosecutor.

Seventeen EU ambassadors from 22 member states participating in the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) voted in favour of Kovesi in the indicating vote.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Romania's former anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi faced opposition from her country's government (Photo: Helga Stevens)

Thursday's vote breaks the deadlock between the council of member states and the European parliament, which has earlier supported Kovesi's appointment.

Parliament and council negotiators are expected to meet next week to formally agree on Kovesi, which will be followed by a confirmation vote at the October plenary of the parliament, and a formal vote among member states.

In an earlier, point-based vote in February, member states chose the French candidate, Jean-Francois Bohnert as their preferred nominee over Kovesi.

The change of heart among member states was partly political, partly practical.

As part of an effort to build alliances in central Europe, France's president Emmanuel Macron over the summer decided to back Kovesi over the French candidate.

Adding to the pressure: the parliament was adamant in its support for Kovesi, who has received praise at home and in EU capitals for her five-year tenure as anti-corruption chief in Romania, securing convictions against ministers, lawmakers and other high-profile politicians.

EU countries also wanted to make sure the EPPO is up an running in 2020, which requires adequate time for internal rules and procedures set up by the new chief prosecutor.

Member states did not want to risk blocking the entire office coming into force, and in principle agreed with the choice of Kovesi, and EU official said.

For the 46-year-old Kovesi, the high-profile EU job comes after the government in Bucharest ousted her in July 2018 as national anti-corruption head.

Bucharest also actively lobbied against her appointment in Brussels, while putting her under investigation at home, which her supporters argued was politically motivated.

Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the Romania's Social Democrat party at the time when Kovesi was forced out of office last year was jailed in May for three and a half years in a corruption case.

The Social Democrat-led government also passed a number of controversial measures in recent years decriminalising corruption that have sparked the largest protests in Romania since the fall of communism in 1989 and led to tensions with the EU commission.

"It's a recognition of the work of the Romanian prosecutors and judges, but at the same time, it's also a success for all Romanians who in the last few years supported the fight against corruption and for the rule of law and EU values," Kovesi told AFP.

The new, independent office will have the power to investigate, prosecute and bring to judgment crimes against the EU budget, such as fraud, corruption or serious cross-border VAT fraud, as currently only national authorities can investigate and prosecute fraud against the EU budget.

However, Hungary, Poland, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and the UK have not joined the project

Parliamentarians welcomed the vote.

Centre-right MEP Manfred Weber said in a tweet that "after months of unacceptable attacks against her by the socialist government in Romania, the prosecutor's office should get to work as soon as possible".

Liberal MEP Guy Verhofstadt also welcomed the vote, saying that she is "not only the best person for the job but also an important signal to the Romanian government: you shouldn't have fired her. These kinds of dubious decisions will backfire".

"Her appointment sends out a clear message in the EU that corruption will not be tolerated regardless of social position or wealth and that applying the rule of law diligently will ultimately be rewarded," Green MEP Saskia Bricmont said in a statement.

Romanian prosecutor fights back critics for EU top job

The European Parliament's budget control committee backs Laura Codruta Kovesi for the EU chief prosecutor post after Tuesday's hearing, despite being the second-favourite of member states. The main committee in the case will vote on Wednesday.

Romanian candidate faces battle for EU prosecutor job

After member states voted for their preferred candidates for the EU's new top prosecutor, MEPs will now hear from the candidates. Romania's former chief prosecutor was the frontrunner - until her own country started to campaign against her.

Thirteen states join EU prosecutor's office

Justice ministers from 13 EU member states have confirmed they will take part in the European Public Prosecutor's Office with another three set to join in the next few days.

EU backs setting up prosecutor's office

Heads of state and government have agreed to allow a core group of EU states to set up a European Public Prosecutor Office to probe VAT fraud and crimes against the EU budget.

New EU anti-fraud prosecutor starts hunt

With 22 participating EU countries, the EU chief prosecutor's office begins its operations by keeping a close eye on the €800bn recovery fund - considered to be a "high risk" in terms of corruption and fraud.

MEPs to debate Portugal's EU prosecutor controversy

Leading centre-right and liberal MEPs have called on Lisbon to clarify the appointment of José Guerra as its EU public prosecutor, amid efforts to depoliticise the new anti-fraud body.

Opinion

Why EU Commission dumped Google's favourite consultant

This should be a wake-up call to ensure consultancy firms with a vested interest are permanently excluded from public tenders. The close relationship between the EU's competition authority and economic consultants poses a serious risk to its independence.

Latest News

  1. Northern Europe — the new Nato/Russia frontline
  2. The EU-Kenya free trade deal shows a waning 'Brussels effect'
  3. Hoekstra pledges to phase-out fossil fuel subsidies
  4. 10 years on from the Lampedusa shipwreck — what's changed?
  5. EU ministers go to Kyiv to downplay fears on US, Slovak aid
  6. Hoekstra faces tough questioning to be EU Green chief
  7. Frontex shared personal data of NGO staff with Europol six times
  8. Why EU Commission dumped Google's favourite consultant

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  2. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us