Financial Times: Romanian Justice Minister is integration „hero”

Romanian Justice minister Monica Macovei’s „corruption crusade puts Romania back on road to EU”, headlines Financial Times in its latest issue. FT calls Macovei a hero for reviving Romania’s hopes to join the European Union next year, in comparison to Bulgaria which faced postponement threats because it lacked the necessary pace in the fight against corruption and organized crime.

FT recalls than when Macovei became a minister in January 2005, Romania’s offer in its effort to join the EU posed serious problems for European authorities as the fight against corruption was going nowhere. But things have changed a lot since then, as shown by recent statements from Brussels.

The paper quotes Renate Weber, head of the Romanian Open Society Foundation, who says while the government is still facing difficulties in implementing anti-graft reforms, minister Macovei was worthy of her star status in Brussels.

Among Macovei’s accomplishments FT notes the inquiries against former PM Adrian Nastase, nine members of the Parliament and four members of the current government, including a deputy PM.

And it quotes Macovei as saying that „there was a certain resistance, but the government accepted measures” such as imposing compulsory wealth statements among state officials.