DNA report activity for 2018: More than a third of defendants acquitted over abuse of office decriminalization

79 defendants, meaning more than a third of the total, have been acquitted last year due to the decriminalization of the abuse of office, Calin Nistor, interim chief prosecutor of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) told the balance sheet sitting on Friday.

Abuse of office is not considered crime anymore following legislative amendments operated by the ruling PSD-ALDE coalition.

The year of 2018 was „atypical” and „a turning point” for the anti-corruption body, Nistor said.

Besides being the year when Laura Codruța Kovesi was dismissed from the DNA helm following a Constitutional Court ruling, 2018 had good, but also bad parts.

7 dignitaries have been sent to court last year, by 4 less than in 2017, but more files have been solved and more prejudices recovered by 85% more than in 2017. Yet, the anti-corruption prosecutors said the number of the complaints had dropped.

Among the seven dignitaries indicted, there were one minister, one deputy (also county council leader), four secretaries of state, and one senator.

25 mayors and deputy mayor were also indicted, as well as three magistrates, 7 lawyers, 19 policemen, 18 directors of public institutions, 7 teachers and headmasters, 6 doctors and hospital managers.

584 defendants have been prosecuted in big corruption files last year, as against 713 in 2017.

However, 2018 also saw a higher number of acquittals, 79 defendants-acquitted after the decriminalization of the abuse of office.

DNA has 26 ongoing files on financing political parties or politicians

Anti-corruption prosecutors have 26 files in process regarding financing to political parties or politicians, DNA interim head, Calin Nistor said on Friday.