Romania’s Senate President Calin Popescu Tariceanu has warned that corruption is his country’s brand – when other countries boast tourism and industry. And for this, he blamed the chief anti-corruption prosecutor.
As reported by Romania Insider online, Tariceanu explained that the ruling coalition that he is part of has been trying to consolidate justice and the rule of law. He also said the report from the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body GRECO doesn’t single out Romania and that other countries are also confronted with corruption as well.
“Corruption is not Romania’s specialty as [chief anticorruption prosecutor Laura Codruta] Kovesi wanted to create it. Thanks to Ms. Kovesi, corruption has become Romania’s country brand,” said Tariceanu, a former prime minister.
In February, he told the BBC: “The DNA and the intelligence services are now perceived as institutions which are not respecting the legal framework, are corrupt themselves, and are used as important leverage in the political fight in Romania”.
Last year, Tariceanu was charged with making false statements under oath to protect people standing trial in a real estate case involving a prince. As reported by The Associated Press (AP) at the time, prosecutors accused him of trying to hamper the investigation by denying knowledge of connections between Romania’ Prince Paul Philippe and a politically connected businessman and others.
Tariceanu said it was “absurd that I would be suspected of trying to jeopardize my position in society by favouring people I don’t know or have no affinity with by lying. I will fight so that we don’t go back to the terror of the 1950s,” he said.
