BalkanInsight.com
23 July 2008 Bucharest _ Romania’s government praised an EU report on the Balkan country’s fight against corruption, while opposition parties and analysts took a more critical approach. "The report is fair and balanced as it stresses that Romania has made progress in its fight against corruption," Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu said in a press statement.
On his part, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said the government will continue the policy of "zero tolerance" against graft.
On Wednesday, the European Commission said in a report that Romania needs to step up efforts to combat high-level corruption, notably by its parliament and courts, where judges often used minor excuses to delay cases.
The report condemns parliament for delaying corruption inquiries involving the former Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and other top officials.
It also calls on Romania not to adopt legal changes that would make it much harder for prosecutors to search the homes and wire-tap the phones of corruption suspects.
Opposition politicians had a different opinion on the report than that of the government.
"The findings of the report are unfair. There was no delay in parliament, on the contrary. There wasn't any lack of political will by deputies to fight graft," Nicolae Vacaroiu, the speaker of Romania's Upper Chamber, the Senate, said.
Vacaroiu is also a leader of opposition Social Democratic Party.
Experts say Romania still has a long way forward in its fight against corruption.
"The greatest liability in Romania is that the fight against corruption has become a political instrument in the power struggle among parties,” explained Victor Alistar, Executive Director of Transparency International Romania.
“This is why a national consensus on anti-corruption policies has failed and no high-level corruption case has been concluded so far. We believe that any new anti-corruption reform must be designed on a purely technical basis and backed by strong political will," he added.
Romania, together with Bulgaria, are the newest EU members having joined the bloc in 2007. They have been under stringent monitoring over concerns they will be unable to absorb millions of euros in EU funding amid fears of corruption and organised crime.
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
EU asks Romania to clarify aid for Nokia plant
BRUSSELS, March 28 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Friday it had written to Romania's government to request more information about possible state subsidies for a plant operated by mobile phone maker Nokia. "I can confirm that the competition department of the Commission wrote to the Romanian authorities back in February and that we received a reply on March 17," Jonathan Todd, the Commission's competition spokesman, told a daily news briefing.
The Commission, the EU executive, was "examining carefully" the information received from Romania, he said, adding that no formal state aid investigation had yet been opened.
"The reason we wrote is purely precautionary, just to establish whether there has been any state subsidy and if so, whether those subsidies are in line with EU state aid rules," Todd said. (Reporting by Jeremy Smith; Editing by Dale Hudson)
The Commission, the EU executive, was "examining carefully" the information received from Romania, he said, adding that no formal state aid investigation had yet been opened.
"The reason we wrote is purely precautionary, just to establish whether there has been any state subsidy and if so, whether those subsidies are in line with EU state aid rules," Todd said. (Reporting by Jeremy Smith; Editing by Dale Hudson)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
