Romania’s Prosecutor General Tiberiu Nițu resigned on Tuesday amid scandal on illegally using excessive motorcades during official rides. According Nițu’s official statement, resignation was filed as “a responsibility and honor action,” considering his name was artificially linked ‘to a situation meant to inflict upon the Prosecutor’s Office’s image’.
Nițu argued he hadn’t asked or benefitted of any motorcade, but he was only provided with a protective and convoy device.
“The use of a certain level of protection for various categories of dignitaries is the attribute of the state institutions and not of the protection’s beneficiary,” he stated.
He also added that “the protection measures granted to the Romania’s Prosecutor General by the state specialized institutions are proportional to the potential risks that the prosecutor is facing while exerting office duties.”
Tiberiu Niţu has been Romania’s Prosecutor General since May 16, 2013, when he was appointed by former PM Ponta for a three-year mandate.
President Klaus Iohannis accepted the resignation.
Late on Monday, PM Cioloș stated that there was no formal proceeding to recall Nițu, adding though that he had asked Justice minister to probe into the circumstances that might prompt his revocation.
Justice minister Raluca Prună summoned Romania’s Prosecutor General Tiberiu Nitu a week ago, as his name shows up in the file where former Interior minister Gabriel Oprea is suspected of abuse of office. Justice minister said she would not rule out the revocation option but that she would come to a decision after she had heard all views.
Asked if she considers the revocation of the Prosecutor General, minister Prună stated: “I don’t rule out any option as the law stipulates it. I am considering any tool that the Romanian law in force gives me (…) Before coming to a decision, you must hear out all opinions.”
In the indictment paper asking for senator Gabriel Oprea’s immunity lifting, anti-corruption prosecutors said that Oprea, as former Interior minister, had illegally given Tiberiu Nițu the right to use a motorcade provided by the Traffic Police. Prosecutors claim that only in 2015, Romania’s Prosecutor Genral would have used the motorcade almost 500 times.
Before meeting Justice minister back then, Tiberiu Nițu was saying he doesn’t want to speculate on a potential recall.