President Klaus Iohannis has rejected on Wednesday the proposal to appoint Adina Florea as Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA).
In retort, Adina Florea, also deputy chief prosecutor of the Section for the investigation of magistrates, has refused to comment President Iohannis’ decision. “No, comment, it’s the decision of the President, I have nothing to comment“, she said.
On the other hand, Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, who proposed Adina Florea for the position of DNA head, has taunted the President’s decision, voicing his surprise that the head of state “has finished reading and has understood so quickly”.
At mid-October, referring to the appointment of Adina Florea as anti-corruption chief prosecutor, President Klaus Iohannis said that he won’t allow Romania to take steps backwards against anti-corruption fight, while asking for a check on the legality of the Justice minister’s proposal, considering the CSM’s negative opinion on Florea.
Three days earlier, Justice Minister, Tudorel Toader, had sent to President Klaus Iohannis the proposal to appoint Adina Florea as chief prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) despite the CSM’s negative opinion.
Adina Florea, prosecutor with the Constanta Prosecutor’s Office, was heard by the CSM for three hours last earlier in October. During the hearings, Florea slammed the measures taken by the previous anti-corruption leadership, arguing that “some anti-corruption VIP prosecutors have been put ahead,” also criticizing the fact that the number of acquittals in the DNA files had been high.
Florea also slammed the general activity of the National Anti-corruption Directorate, saying that prosecutors had been too much focused on the abuse of office, given that the DNA’s object should be high level corruption cases.
On the other hand, Florea refused to voice her opinion regarding the justice laws’ amendment, saying her comments would be “hazardous” and that she would rather wait for these amendments to be operated.
The CSM opinion is advisory (binding only to be obtained, not to be observed) and several weeks ago Toader said that, although he expects the CSM opinion to be negative, he will not consider it and will send to the President anyway the proposal to appoint Adina Florea.