Update: Six candidates racing for the DNA helm

The Justice Ministry has announced on Friday that there are six candidates running for the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) top position: Paula Tănase, Nicolae Lupulescu, Gabriela Scutea, Sorin Armeanu, Adina Florea and Andrei Bodean.

After Paula Tanase announced her candidature early this week, five more persecutors have submitted their candidatures for the helm of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) on Friday, the last day when applications can be filed.

Military prosecutor Nicolae Lupulescu was the second candidate for the anti-corruption body’s top position, confirmed on Friday morning.

General major Nicolae Lupulescu is working at the Military Prosecutor’s Office department within the General Prosecutor’s Office, but he has been transferred to the Defence Ministry since March 2016.

The third candidate just announced is prosecutor Gabriela Scutea, the former deputy of Laura Codruta Kovesi at the General Prosecutor’s Office.

During November 2006-May 2013, Scutea was deputy prosecutor of the Romanian Prosecutor General, who was Laura Codruta Kovesi at that time, and was in charge of the activity of the Judicial Section,  human resources and documentation department and authorising officer by delegation. She was also responsible for implementing the foreign financing programmes and audit.

During May-August 2013 Scutea was appointed adviser of the former Prosecutor General, Tiberiu Nitu. She was secretary of state at the Justice Ministry in 2016.

She started her career in 1995 as a trainee magistrate at the Prosecutor’s Office upon the Brasov Court.

The fourth candidate submitting his candidature is Andrei Bodean, according to Digi 24. He is the prosecutors from Constanta who sent to court the controversial local leaders Nicusor Constantinescu, Radu Mazare and businessman Sorin Strutinsky. Bodean has publicly protested in December last year against the amendments operated on the justice laws, arguing that no one will be safe anymore if these laws were enforced.

Adina Florea is also coming from Constanta, while Sorin Armeanu is the first prosecutor chief of Vaslui Tribunal.

Paula Tanase, aged 47, prosecutor at the Prosecutor’s Office upon the Court of Appeal from Galati, was the first to file her candidature for the DNA head office several days ago.

Today, August 24 is the last day when prosecutors can apply for the top position of DNA, with the final list of those who meet the criteria to race for the anti-corruption directorate’s helm to be released on August 29.