New invitation for Kovesi to come for hearings at the inquiry committee on 2009 elections. US Ambassador voices support for the DNA head

The parliamentary committee probing into the presidential elections in 2009 is sending a new invitation to the anti-corruption chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi to come for hearings following the Constitutional Court’s ruling saying the officials who are requested to come for hearings in the parliamentary inquiry committees are compelled to come.

The committee’s chairwoman, PSD deputy Oana Florea said that the committee would file a complaint to the Justice Ministry or a criminal complaint if Kovesi declined this invitation, too.

“We’ll do everything according to the law and the regulation. This is not my decision, there will be a vote, or we’ll have to file a complaint to the Justice Ministry or a criminal complaint, suggested by Liviu Plesoianu (PSD deputy),” said Florea.

Plesoianu said he would propose the notification of the criminal prosecution bodies against Kovesi for she has obstructed the committee’s activity by repeatedly refusing to attend the hearings.

“Laura Codruta Kovesi has been invited two times so far. It’s the last chance for Mrs. Kovesi to save the honor of the institution she is leading,” Plesoianu argued.

DNA chief prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi has declined the committee’s invitations so far. Kovesi explained she will not turn up to the hearings, arguing that the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) plenum has decided that “the prosecutors cannot be cited and forced to attend parliamentary committees as witnesses, as – according to constitutional norms – they are part of the judicial system.

Ambassador Klemm: The American officials still confident of Kovesi’s work

The US Ambassador in Bucharest, Hans Klemm, said on Thursday after a meeting with the PSD chairman Liviu Dragnea that the American officials maintain confidence in Laura Codruta Kovesi’s work. Klemm was asked if the Gov’t and the US Embassy keep on endorsing her.

We maintain confidence in her work. This work has been analysed by the Romanian judiciary authorities, Klemm said.

Questioned if Kovesi is in jeopardy due to the DNA scandal, the US ambassador stated that this would have to be the Romanian authorities’ decision.