On Tuesday, as DNA celebrates 20 years of existence, President Klaus Iohannis said that the work of anti-corruption prosecutors must be doubled with clear, consistent legislation that guarantees the independence of the judiciary and creates the necessary mechanisms for the proper functioning of the prosecutor’s office.

The President also noted that the reform of the legislation on justice must be completed in accordance with the recommendations of European bodies, even in the year when DNA celebrates two decades of existence.

• “This DNA anniversary moment comes as Parliament debates the Justice Bills proposed by the Government in August, following a complex process of drafting them based on public consultation with the judiciary. and the European Commission.

• The result of the parliamentary debate should correspond to the wishes I mentioned. At the same time, there is a need for sufficient, qualified human resources and budget allocations that will allow activities to be carried out in optimal conditions, these are also the goals set by Romania through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan,” Iohannis said.

President Klaus Iohannis emphasized on Tuesday that the fight against corruption was and remains the goal of his mandates.

• “The fight against corruption was and remains the goal of my tenure as President of Romania. In this difficult period, we need, more than ever, a functional state where the authorities cooperate in the spirit of constitutional loyalty, honest politicians and civil servants, a strong culture of integrity, including in the private sector, and the promotion of European values.” , specified Yohannis.

What else did the president say:

• DNA has made great progress, becoming a European-level model.
• The path of DNA was not without obstacles and occasional failures. They should be evaluated honestly and objectively.
• A society in which there is a tough fight against corruption is a strong and stable society
• Human resources and budgetary allocations are necessary to ensure activities in optimal conditions
• We need honest politicians, a culture of honesty, including in the private sector
• Romania has changed radically thanks to increased levels of transparency and honesty. Mentality has also changed, and Romanian society no longer tolerates a lack of justice in public life
• Two decades ago, firmly committed to the European path, Romania decided to create a PNA to fight high-level corruption. Such an approach was of primary importance

Below is the President’s full speech:

Two decades ago, firmly committed to the European path, our country decided to create a structure that specializes in fighting corruption, especially corruption at the highest level.

For a state in full transition, this approach was important in terms of structural reforms taking place at the level of central and local administration.

In the European Union, efforts to control and fight corruption represented and represent, in fact, ways of building modern states and strengthening democracy based on the values ​​of the rule of law, where the law protects the common good, citizens and their rights. Two decades ago, the public opinion in our country was that the Romanian society was faced with the phenomenon of corruption at all levels and that there were no effective means to fight this scourge.

If good habits require laws to uphold them, laws also require the assumption of moral principles at the deepest level of society to be respected.

The creation of the National Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, as a strong structure in the offensive against corruption, was the first signal that Romania has started the fight against corruption at the highest level and in the long term. Over the years, our country has fundamentally changed through the development of its institutional capacity, increasing the level of transparency and integrity in the public sector, as well as through the economic and democratic transformations it has undergone. Mentality has also changed, and Romanian society no longer tolerates a lack of justice in public life.

The National Anti-Corruption Directorate has made significant progress, becoming a model at the European level, a provider of expert knowledge and best practices in the fight against corruption.

However, DNA’s journey has not been without obstacles, setbacks, and even occasional failures. They must be evaluated honestly and objectively, because this is the only way to draw lessons from the past, always remembering the goal of continuous improvement of activities, at the service of society and the common good.

A society in which there is a strong fight against corruption, in which there are mechanisms of checks and balances, in which the accountability of decision-makers to the citizens is real, or in which there is a widespread feeling that no one is above the law, is a strong and stable society.

The fight against corruption is synonymous with the fight for the better society we want. This should not be the exclusive prerogative of the institution, but the joint obligation of all decision-makers.

In this joint effort, your institution’s actions are critical to the modernization of the state and to preventing and eliminating behaviors that can slow down or even block its development.

Thanks to its results, thanks to the constant efforts of the prosecutors and the entire staff of DNA, the institution has become a landmark in the region and in Europe. The reports of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism have always highlighted the gradual progress made in this area, but also the gaps or the targets, the implementation of which remained in place.

I am convinced that without the decisive contribution of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate in the fight against high-level and systemic corruption, Romanian society would look very different today. Romania is now a pole of stability in the region and a strategic partner for our NATO and European Union partners.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With each step achieved in the fight against corruption at all levels, we are getting closer to concluding the MCV, joining the Schengen area and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

A society where corruption is sanctioned gives citizens confidence in the state and conveys predictability and stability to investors and external partners.

In recent years, there have been many challenges, on the contrary. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed new anti-corruption risks related to public procurement, the allocation and management of funds needed to address the health crisis, and the integrity of the health system.

The limitation of the powers of the DNA due to the acceptance of some of the powers of the judicial crime investigation department, the lack of predictability of the legislation, the lack of real dialogue in the judicial system or the decisions of the Constitutional Court affecting the Instrumental Files are only some aspects that have affected the activities and results of the institution.

In order for your work to have the echo expected by society, you need clear, coherent legislation that guarantees the independence of the judiciary and creates the necessary mechanisms for the normal functioning of the prosecutor’s office. In addition, it is necessary to complete the reform of the legislation on justice in accordance with the recommendations of European bodies.

Coincidentally, this DNA anniversary moment comes as Parliament debates the Justice Bills proposed by the Government in August, following a complex process of drafting them based on public consultation with the judiciary and the European Commission.

The result of the parliamentary debate should correspond to the wishes I mentioned. At the same time, there is a need for sufficient qualified human resources and budgetary allocations that will allow activities to be carried out in optimal conditions, which also constitute the goals defined by Romania through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The fight against corruption was and remains the goal of my tenure as President of Romania. In this difficult period, we need, more than ever, a functional state where the authorities cooperate in the spirit of constitutional loyalty, honest politicians and civil servants, a strong culture of integrity, particularly in the private sphere, and the promotion of European values.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

You are obliged to continue the fight against corruption with professionalism and persistence, fully respecting the basic rights and freedoms of citizens.

Congratulations to all professionals who have achieved significant results with their hard work and dedication! I wish you further success that meets the expectations of the entire society!