Anti-Corruption Directorate Releases Annual Report
2014 was the year of records for the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, both in terms of the efficiency of prosecutors, and of the improvement of public confidence in this institution.
Roxana Vasile, 25.02.2015, 13:28
The largest number of criminal cases started. The largest number of cases finalised and the largest number of convictions. The largest number of officials subject to investigations in a year. The most substantial properties seized. The largest number of indictments. And all of them with only 86 prosecutors, the same number since the National Anti-Corruption Directorate was set up in 2002. In other words, 2014 was a year of records for this institution, which presented its annual report this week.
Here is the head of the Directorate, chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi: “The final court rulings in the cases brought by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate in 2014 included the seizing and recovery of over 310 million euros in proceeds from criminal activities, which is 3 times more than in 2013. If actually taken over by the State, this amount would cover the salaries paid to all the country’s doctors for a year.”
Attending the release of the annual report, the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis called for solutions to increase the number of prosecutors and the budget of the institution, as well as for improving the recovery of damages.
Klaus Iohannis: “Recovering the damages is, just like serving the sentences, a compulsory rather than an optional measure. What we see at present, with the Finance Ministry actually recovering only around 10% of the damages, is unacceptable.”
In turn, PM Victor Ponta talked about the need to take the anti-corruption legislation to a new level, by establishing clear distinctions between political decisions and breaking the law: “I believe that, if we work together, we can come up with modern, European legislation that would make it very clear to officials and civil servants that if they break the law, they will be punished in court, whereas for their political decisions officials will be rewarded or punished by voters.”
The inquiries of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate will continue this year, regardless of the administrative or political position held by the individuals in question. Chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi: “In 2015, apart from carrying on inquiries in big corruption cases, our priorities will include cases involving the misuse of European funds, corruption in fields such as business, the judiciary, education, healthcare, with a focus on recovering the damages and seizing assets. Our activity continues to be defined by professionalism, consistency, promptness, efficiency, responsibility and transparency.”
The ultimate goal of the Directorate’s work is a country where no one should have to give bribes in exchange for something they are entitled to receive, and no one should be able to obtain undue power through corruption.
