The draft law on the merger of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office and the PCCOCS could be included on the agenda of the February 20 sitting of Parliament. The first round of public consultations on the bill took place on Wednesday. MP Veronica Rosca, head of the committee on legal affairs, said that the draft law will be proposed to the Parliament’s Standing Bureau later today to be included on the agenda of the February 20 sitting, IPN reports.
MP Igor Chiriac, member of the committee on legal affairs, said that this draft law stipulates a mechanism for the functioning of the prosecutor's office specialized in combating grand corruption and organized crime.
"What was topical in 2016 and even in 2021 today is no longer topical and this new structure of the specialized prosecutor's office comes to deal with the threats to state security," said Chiriac.
The Ministry of Justice is to formulate a generalized opinion on this bill. However, the institution expressed particular concerns in relation to it.
"The first concern lies in the continuation of the existing cases and the transmission of these cases. We want the existing cases not to be affected. Another concern refers to the provision of the new entity with everything its needs to function, namely headquarters, equipment, etc.," said Stanislav Kopetski, secretary of state of the Ministry of Justice.
Concerns were also expressed about the risks to the careers of prosecutors, the transfer to local prosecutors' offices and the need to consult international institutions.
"From what I heard today, it seems that the potential risks of this bill are greater in number. I support the idea that this bill should be examined by the Venice Commission and I very much hope that, if it is given a first reading, a process of consultations will be ensured before the second reading," said PAS MP Olesea Stamate.
Immediately after the consultations, the subject was commented on by the Speaker of Parliament Igor Grosu on his Facebook page. "The amendment bill that was recently registered in Parliament is not about one person, but is about building a specialized prosecutor's office with integrity, which will deal with the unprecedented threats faced by the country from criminal groups and will deliver justice for the people. The lack of results can no longer be tolerated," said Igor Grosu.
The head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office Veronica Dragalin announced her resignation on Wednesday morning. Dragalin explained that she resorted to such a gesture in a move to stop the liquidation of the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office and the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS).
