Laura Codruța Kövesi, European Attorney General
Audio 03:21
Laura Codruța Kövesi, Attorney General of the European Public Prosecutor's Office, February 14, 2018. AFP / Daniel Mihailescu
By: Béatrice Leveillé
7 mins
It is the week of the launch of the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
Since March 1, the European Union has adopted this new body to fight against financial fraud.
At its head, Laura Codruța Kövesi, 48, former Attorney General of Romania.
An honest and persevering magistrate with an unblemished reputation.
Portrait.
Publicity
"The incorruptible of the Carpathians", "the Romanian Eliot Ness" ... The qualifiers fuse when it comes to Laura Codruța Kövesi.
Its objectives are clear and despite the reluctance of several European countries, it has succeeded in launching the European Public Prosecutor's Office, an organization which will enable cooperation in the fight against tax fraud.
Daughter of a prosecutor, European basketball vice-champion, first woman and youngest general prosecutor of Romania at 33 years old.
She was appointed Prosecutor General of the European Public Prosecutor's Office in 2019 thanks to the support of European parliamentarians.
"
It is a prestigious position which is at the crossroads of technology and politics
", explains Sylvie Guillaume, member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
“
You needed an extremely strong personality on the subject.
Rather, the European Council had chosen another candidate and it was the European Parliament that allowed Mrs Kövesi to be chosen.
She has both the confidence, the experience and the mind of a determined person.
It was complicated to finalize because we are dealing with subjects on which the Member States have a little trouble giving way.
"
In Romania, Laura Codruța Kövesi has dealt with more than 9,000 corruption cases, brought to justice a thousand people, including former ministers, former judges and prosecutors with a remarkable 90% conviction rate.
The President of the Budget Committee in the European Parliament, Monika Hohlmeier, is really counting on her to force member states to respect European rules.
“
She is very intelligent, very motivated, courageous, endowed with a great strength of character and fair,
underlines Monika Hohlmeier.
In addition, Mrs
Kövesi faces a difficult and extremely demanding task.
She has to face great expectations.
Everything will certainly not work 100% in the immediate future, but I am convinced that Mrs Kövesi has all the skills and all the qualities to overcome any difficulties quickly.
She has already proven it in Romania and I think she will also be successful at the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
We will see whether the national authorities will cooperate or whether there are Member States which do not
.
"
Under the leadership of Laura Codruța Kövesi, the European Public Prosecutor's Office will take action to fight against fraud in taxation and European subsidies.
The future of European judicial cooperation will depend on its success.
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