Minister of Justice Tudorel Toader said on Monday that "the time for clarification has come for the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA)," stressing that he had previously cautioned that the institution's activity was to stay within constitutional limits.
"I think clarification time has come for DNA. Through the quite ample report I presented on DNA's investigation on the adoption of OUG 13, I strongly sounded alarm over the agency's activity and I underlined it is imperative for it to keep within constitutional limits. We strongly support the continuation of the anti-corruption fight but please note that the fight against corruption does not mean DNA alone, it doesn't mean just enforcing punishments and handing down convictions. It means in the first place preventing acts of corruption, and criminal action should be the last resort. You will see that through the law package on justice we propose measures to strengthen the fight against corruption," Tudorel Toader said at the seat of the Ministry of Justice.
In connection with the recent disclosures regarding DNA's inner workings, Tudorel Toader reminded that he notified the Judicial Inspection of the Supreme Council of the Magistrates (CSM) on the recently aired recordings; he said he cannot tell whether they are genuine or not, but that verification is underway at CSM.
The Minister of Justice said he notified the CSM Judicial Inspection to perform a critical assessment of the managerial activity at the DNA and the Public Prosecution Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, where the managerial activity has no longer undergone assessment for over 10 years now.
"I hope the investigation does not find we have a selective justice. I hope they find the cases sent for criminal prosecution have been solved in a speedy manner, (...) so that case settlement requests are answered within a reasonable time and at the same time I also hope the settlement chronology is also observed and complies with the case registration sequence. We need a fair justice. We support the prevention of corruption, but as Minister of Justice I am bound to see not only the positive side, the fact that many [offenders] are tracked down and sentenced, I must also see the negative side, namely that regrettably, many citizens, many Romanians are arrested and prosecuted, are investigated, sent to court and eventually sentenced, just to be subsequently found innocent, which is a real tragedy and is a stain for Romanian justice," added Tudorel Toader.
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