“Romania accelerated the trial of high-level corruption cases,” said Gray, adding the report also notes the enforcement of the new Civil Code and that “draft legislation on extended confiscation has made progress in Parliament”.
According to Gray, “the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and the National Integrity Agency (ANI) have continued to carry forward a series of important cases, including with regard to a significant number of senior politicians and officials.” Gray stressed there are also fields which require additional measures meant to help Romania fulfill its commitments.
“Appointments to positions in the High Court of Cassation and Justice in August were criticized for a lack of transparency and objectivity. However, Romania adopted a new law in December which had been re-introduced by the government to reform appointments to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. The law introduces substantial improvements to appointment procedures and can make an important contribution to the reform of the High Court,” Gray added.
“Romania has prepared a comparative analysis of practice in other Member States regarding the procedure for lifting immunity of Members of Parliament and included the issue in the draft new National Anti-Corruption Strategy. As the competent authority to adopt new rules, the Parliament now needs to take this issue forward,” Gray added.
He said EC reports on the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism reflect what had happened in Romania and Bulgaria since the Commission’s last reports in July 2011, adding the reports are technical and include no political evaluation.