Kovesi about disciplinary action, “parallel state”: I won’t resign. Those who committed criminal deeds have “parallel interest” in blocking the justice

In an interview to Agerpres, the chief prosecutor of the National Anti-corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi reiterated she would not resign amid attacks against justice and particularly amid the Judicial Inspection’s disciplinary action against her. Kovesi argues that everything began “accidentally” last year, along with the attacks against justice.

As for the “parallel state she is part of”, as some politicians claim, the anti-corruption head states that if “parallel states” exist, these are the ones of those “who are looting the state budget”, the ones who have been caught and want to block the justice.

“I have been working with the Prosecutor’s Office for over 22 years and I have never had a disciplinary action or investigation against me. Last year, when the attacks against justice started, when the Judicial Inspection gave a press release saying it endorsed the justice laws as proposed by the former Justice minister, several complaints and ex-officio investigations have accidently kicked off. I think there are over 15 or 16,” Kovesi said, adding from this perspective “it’s very difficult to comment” the disciplinary investigation against her.

The Judicial Inspection is probing into the a audio recordings allegedly featuring Kovesi giving orders to prosecutors and slamming them for not doing their job properly.

“A criminal expertize has been conducted and it revealed the recording is not original, that it had been edited. I will build my defence within the section for prosecutors and we’ll see what will happen”, Kovesi added.

She also denied that prosecutors under her subordination had ever complained that she would have an abusive conduct.

“I have never been accused in those 22 years that I would have had an improper conduct with my colleagues. I have chaired thousands of meetings as chief of some institutions, I have attended other sittings as prosecutor in office. I have never been accused of such things. Only now, when there is this attack against the justice, I have been accidentally accused that I would have made bossy statements within the sitting,” Kovesi stated.

Asked about the accusations that she would represent “the parallel state” that would influence or prevent some political decisions, including by some prosecutors’ actions, Kovesi underlined: “The are the parallel interests of those who have committed criminal deeds and robbed the state budget. So, if we talk about the parallel interests, these belong to the ones who have looted and harmed the state budget.”

Moreover, she added that anti-corruption prosecutors are observing the law and they are checked.