Credits: WikimediaCommons, Laura Codruta Kövesi

The EU`s new anti-graft hero
By David Meier

The European Parliament and the member states of the EU have agreed to appoint former Romanian Anti-Corruption Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruţa Kövesi as EU Chief Prosecutor despite fierce opposition of the Romanian government. She has a reputation of being a tough corruption fighter and her new post enables her to prove this on a European scale.The decision is an important step for the EU`s quest for tackling the huge societal challenges of graft and misuse of public funding.

On 24 September 2019, representatives of the European Parliament and the Council (i.e. the governments of the member states) came to an agreement as it comes to the appointment of Laura Codruţa Kövesi as head of the EU`s Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) or, in other words, its Chief Prosecutor. This newly-created institution`s task is to prosecute defendants in cases of crimes against the EU budget, e.g fraud, graft or cross-border VAT fraud. The EPPO will be in charge for the investigation of those offences in 22 out of 28 member states, all but the United Kingdom, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, Ireland and Denmark.

Laura Codruţa Kövesi has an impressive track record of fighting corruption. In 2013, she became chief prosecutor of Romania`s National Anti-Corruption Bureau. The establishment of this agency in 2003 was a precondition for Romania`s accession to the EU in 2007. During Kövesi`s tenure she investigated more than 4000 powerful people ranging from politicians and members of the public service to representatives of the judicial system such as prosecutors and judges. Thanks to her more than 70 politicians were convicted among them 2 former prime ministers.

However, the influential elites stroke back. Due to her oppositon towards a legal reform benefitting corrupt politicians and her intention to investigate the, at that time most powerful Romanian politician, ex-party leader of the Romanian Socialists Liviu Dragnea, Laura Codruţa Kövesi was sacked in June 2018 at the behest of the former Romanian justice minister Tudorel Toader. Kövesi has lodged an individual complaint with the European Court for Human Rights against her dismissal.  Her enemies did not even bother to incriminate her. Critics from civil society claim that the charges against her are purely politically motivated. Besides, Romanian prime minister Viorica Dăncilă lobbied in the EU Council, i.e. the EU institution gathering the Heads of member states and governments, against Kövesi`s appointment as head of EPPO which is very unusal as member states normally try to promote candidacies of their own nationals for influential posts in the EU.

The Council and the European Parliament have to agree on the appointment of the head of EPPO. This proved difficult as the majority of Council members preferred French candidate, Jean-François Bohnert, while the European Parliament pushed for the designation of Kövesi. The Parliament eventually prevailed thanks to Kövesi`s experience and the high simbolism of her nomination.

In the course of the last years many European citizens, especially in former communist countries such as Romania, Hungary or the Czech Republic, took to the streets in order to rally against endemic corruption. It is perceived as a major problem and one of the main causes of mass migration of young and educated people, striving for a better future, from eastern European EU member states such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria but also western European countries, e.g. Greece and Italy to other member states.

The fact that corruption and the misuse of European funds constitute a huge threat to the existence of the rule of law in member states has been underlined in light of the murder cases Daphne Caruana Galizia and Ján Kuciak in October 2017 and February 2018. Both were journalists who had investigated corruption and the misuse of EU funds in their respective countries Malta and Slovakia.

It is Kövesi`s merit that she has proven that politicians can be made legally accountable in countrys suffering from endemic corruption. Her appointment as head of EPPO is a hopeful sign that the EU is both able and willing to enhance the fight against corruption.

“Europe is strong when it acts together”

An interview by David Meier

Europabüro Kerstin Westphal 

Kerstin Westphal has been a Member of the European Parliament and the group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats since 2009. She comes from the German state of Bavaria and is a member of the Committee on Regional Development and a substitute member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. Mrs Westphal is standing again as a candidate for the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in the European elections. 

Europe HOpes: Mrs Westphal, the current legislative term of the European Parliament draws to its end. In your opinion, what is the greatest accomplishment for young people (16-30 years) the EU has been able to achieve during this legislative term? 

Mrs Westphal: We have worked on numerous projects aimed at securing Europe´s future for coming generations. It is difficult for me to single out one of them. The fight against climate change is surely one of the most significant topics. Many EU rules aim for further decarbonisation of our society for the benefit of future generations. However, combating high youth unemployment in many countries is more tangible to me. We must not risk the arising of a lost generation. I want a Europe that cares and does not leave anyone behind. The increase of Erasmus+ within the framework of the EU budget benefits all young people in training as it comes to mobility and their ability to live abroad. 

Europe HOpes: Could this have been achieved on a purely national level or is it a case of “European added value”, i.e. an improvement that could only be realised within the framework of the EU? 

Mrs Westphal: Clearly, without pan-European rules the challenge of climate change cannot be tackled! In this case only cooperation works as the problems caused by climate change do not stop at national borders. That`s exactly what we want to make anti-Europeans understand: Making borders impregnable is no solution. What we have to do is address the root causes of migration and flight such as droughts and floods which are symptoms of climate change. 

Europe is strong when it acts together. This also applies to the labour market. When there is no perspective for young people in southern or eastern Europe, the EU can develop one by enabling them to work where they are urgently needed e.g. in Germany. 

Europe HOpes: Which crucial opportunities for the improvement of the living conditions of young Europeans has the EU let slip during the last 5 years? What have been the reasons for that failure of exploitation? 

Mrs Westphal: Many EU programmes aim at securing and enhancing a stable and sustainable economy which is a precondition for well-being and security. This is due to the fact that the EU has arisen out of an economic union. However, many young people miss feeling at home in the EU. We have to remember that we are more than a single market. European policy must also be made for those who are not able to contribute to economic growth. Young people bring above all social policy issues to the EU. That is where we can do better. 

Europe HOpes: According to you, what has been the European youth`s or at least a large group of young Europeans most significant contribution toward the European project, so far? Has there been a big mistake or failure on the part of young Europeans that has caused serious damage to the European project? 

Mrs Westphal: What does this ``European Youth`` look like, according to you? Attitudes regarding the EU vary significantly from one state to another. But besides that, I really appreciate and admire the high number of youth associations whose main objective is to promote understanding and appreciation of democracy, political participation and understanding between peoples. By enabling cultural exchanges among youngsters they create experiences that will stay with those people for the rest of their lives. We talk about experiences that correspond exactly to the EU´s motto “United in diversity”. The most important contribution of young people toward the European project is their common hope for well-being, security and peace for all Europeans. 

Europe HOpes: Which opportunities are related to the current developments as it comes to Europes urban and rural areas? Which risks are linked to these tendencies? What can the EU do to seize these opportunities or mitigate the risks?