Romanian opposition leader Victor Ponta speaks kindly of anti-graft prosecutors

The leader of Romania’s main opposition party, the Social Democrats (PSD), spoke kindly of the country’s National Anti-corruption Department (DNA) in an interview with HotNews.ro. PSD leader Victor Ponta, who’s party had repeatedly claimed the DNA has been acting politically at the current president Traian Basescu’s order, changed the tone in the interview. He praised the DNA for starting to move against the top ranks of the „institutionalized corruption system” in the country.

His statement came as the mayor of Cluj, a city known as a stronghold of the governind Democratic Liberals, has been put under inquiry in a corruption case.

Asked how come the PSD no longer claims that the DNA was politically controlled and whether it would claim „another proof of political control” should a PSD be in the Cluj mayor’s place, Ponta said „corruption comes with power, not with the opposition”. Prompted that corruption could be found within the ranks of the opposition – which holds influential seats at local and regional level – he said that he expected the anti-graft prosecutors to confirm that it was changing as the term of the current DNA head is coming to an end.