Top EU officials including Frans Timmermans become subjects of complaint registered by Romanian body claiming to investigate Justice-related crimes

A newly established body aimed at investigating crimes within the Romanian judiciary has registered a complaint against EC vice-president Frans Timmermans and other top officials, who are accused with criminal actions including the creation of an organised crime group. The body was established as part of the moves of the current government to subdue the judiciary politically. The complaint comes from a website known for its serving the interests of Romania’s governing coalition in its attempt to put an end to the fight against corruption and bring the judiciary against political control.

The complaint, submitted by Luju.ro website, targets Timmermans as well as European Justice commissioner Vera Jurova, the head of the EC representative office to Bucharest Angela Cristea and Romanian Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar. They are accused, among others, of forming an organised crime group, abuse in office, communicating false information – all in relation to an alleged faking of the MCV Report.

The MCV Report is a Report on the Verification and Cooperation Mechanism which has been put up following Romania’s EU accession. It comes regularly and is aimed at checking the capacity of Romania and Bulgaria to comply with EU standards in terms of state of law, liberties, and the independence of justice.

The report has been consistently critical of the Romanian government since the Social Democratic (PSD)-led alliance took charge of government in Romania in late 2016.

According to Luju.ro, which publishes an ackowledgement that the complaint was registered, the approval of the registration is signed by deputy chief prosecutor Adina Florea.

Adina Florea was pushed to lead the section after it was repeatedly rejected by President Iohannis to take over as chief of the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA), the main body fighting high level corruption in Romania, afte previous head Laura Codruta Kovesi was forced out following pressure by Justice minister Tudorel Toader.

The section charged with investigating crimes within the judiciary was established recently, as part of the PSD-led campaign to strenthen the political control over magistrates.

Luju.ro is a website reporting on Justice issues, which is closely associated with media channels supporting by the governing coalition and the PSD and its Justice-related issues.