Inquiry committee to ask JusMin Toader for opinion on Kovesi's refusals to show up

The parliamentary inquiry committee into the presidential election of 2009 will send a letter to Justice Minister Tudorel Toader asking him to express an opinion on chief anti-graft prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi refusing to attend the committee's hearings in Parliament. 

"I think that when it comes to people in a public position, who are paid from public money, it is normal for them to work with the institution of Parliament. I think we are talking about a principle, I think we are talking about respect for Parliament, for Parliament's authority; I confess that I have studied the statutes of inquiry committees in other countries, and the world cannot understand how and why someone would not show up to work with Parliament. It is worth noting that this is not about our committee; we are talking about a principle, we are talking about the authority and sovereignty of Parliament and the fact that we have an unambiguous ruling from the Constitutional Court (CCR). The law says that the minister of justice exercises hierarchical control over prosecutors; there is also a legal provision - Article 99 in Law 303 - that talks about failure to observe the CCR rulings and the decisions of the Supreme Court of Justice, that is the basis for our request," committee chair Oana Florea said at Parliament Palace. 

She added that the committee members would send a "technical" letter to the minister of justice, which includes legal arguments, the decision of the CCR, the legislation in force, the duties of the justice minister, exposing the fact that the chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) has been repeatedly invited before the committee, but she did not show up, so the justice minister must decide accordingly. 

"We cannot even set penalties, just expose a factual situation. The final decision rests with the justice minister," said Florea. AGERPRES .