While prosecutors here are struggling against some lawmakers’ plans to end what they call politically biased investigations, in Romania, the prosecution’s authority is supreme.

The European country’s prosecution has total authority to initiate and conduct an investigation and no one, not even the president or justice minister, can interfere with or comment on an ongoing case. Only prosecutors themselves can decide whether to close a case.

“Independence is the key to our power. We are entitled to do what we have to, without any influence peddling,” Laura Codruta Kovesi, prosecutor general of Romania, said Wednesday.

She made the remarks during her visit to Korea to attend the World Summit of Prosecutors General, Attorneys General and Chief Prosecutors, held from Wednesday through Friday.

Kovesi said empowering prosecutors to maintain their independence has resulted in a more transparent society.

When Kovesi was appointed in 2006, Romania was suffering from a spate of corruption scandals. Kovesi, then 32, was assigned to dispel public antipathy and set the record straight. The Romanian prosecution became attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice instead of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Right after her appointment, Kovesi ordered the arrest of two ministers accused of leaking military secrets. The investigation ended with the conviction of 22 politicians and former and incumbent administrators.

The prosecution has also showed “remarkable” performance against cyber crimes, which led to Kovesi winning the Cybercrime Fighter Award by McAfee.
Kovesi also represents “soft power.” As the youngest and the first-ever female prosecutor-general in Romanian history, she has helped many talented women break the glass ceiling.

“There were a handful of female prosecutors when I first started this career in 1995. Now, there are about 140 female prosecutors and 40 percent of 2,400 staff workers in the prosecutors’ offices nationwide are females,” she said.

She said basketball was the source of her leadership. Having played the sport for 17 years, starting at age 5 and winning a silver cup at a European competition, she said the game boosts her confidence.

“The focus, patience and the passion, among others, is altogether in basketball. It leads me and pushes me to be a better prosecutor,” she said.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)