Several NGOs are asking Romania's Justice minister Catalin Predoiu to reconfirm Daniel Morar as head of the DNA (National Anti-Corruption Department). The NGOs affiliated to the Initiative for Clean Justice (the Group for Social Dialogue, Pro Democracy Association, the Civic Alliance, the Freedom House, the 21st December Association and more) are accusing that the leaders of the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) and the PNL (National Liberal Party) are planning to sack Daniel Morar, although the DNA is the only institution praised in the European Commission's most recent report on the state of Romanian Justice. The Initiative for Clean Justice, the Independent Journalism Center and the Group for University Reform are warning the minister of justice that the sacking of Daniel Morar would cause the safeguard clause to be applied on Romanian Justice, just as it would lead to a cut on EU funds. The NGOs have highlighted those paragraphs in the European Commission's report that mention the professionalism and impartiality of the inquiries in high corruption cases going on under Daniel Morar's rule. (...) Civil society is claiming that leaders of the PNL and the PSD are pursuing to force the minister of justice into sacking the head of the DNA. The PNL vice president Crin Antonescu has commented that to continue with Daniel Moral would cast "unfavorable light" over the Romanian government. The Initiative for Clean Justice is also arguing that the Social-Democrats have been plotting a strategy against DNA prosecutors. One idea belonging to Victor Ponta would be for the PSD to come up with parliamentary bill against minister Catalin Predoiu in case he reconfirms Daniel Mora. The PSD president Mircea Geona has in his turned mentioned the possibility to summon extraordinary session in August in order to change the means used to appoint the head of the DNA. And the third way the Social-Democrats are considering is to dismember the DNA. The Initiative for Clean Justice argues as follows: " We are demanding all the responsible political parties and politicians not to take the risk of making Romania vulnerable to EU sanctions and not to leave the impression that anyone who dares investigate on a minister will be sacked once an opportunity to emerges." The group underlines as well that any attempt to change the procedure used to appoint a head for the DNA is not in keeping with the commitments to the EU, made when Romania joined the community.

Adrian ILIE