Romania's Koevesi One Step Closer To EU Prosecutor'sJob

BRUSSELS -- Negotiators from the European Parliament and the European Council have agreed to back former Romanian anti-corruption official Laura Codruta Koevesi to become the first-ever European anti-fraud prosecutor.

The spokesperson of the Finnish EU presidency, Marko Ruonala, told RFE/RL on September 24 that the negotiators will now need to seek confirmation of the deal from their respective institutions to appoint Koevesi as head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).

Ambassadors from the 28 EU member states last week decided to support Koevesi after the European Council previously backed French prosecutor Jean-François Bohnert. Lawmakers have always supported Koevesi’s appointment.

Member states are expected to confirm Koevesi officially at a council meeting in October.

The prosecutor’s office is expected to be up and running at the end of 2020.

Koevesi ran Romania's anti-corruption agency until she was dismissed last year by the leftist government for alleged abuse of power.

Critics say her dismissal was prompted by her prosecuting and indicting a record number of ministers, politicians, and other officials on corruption charges, in one of the bloc's most corrupt countries.