Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Monday rejected a call by Justice minister Tudorel Toader to dimiss the head of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi. He said the arguments presented by the Justice minister were not able to convince him of the necessity to dismiss Kovesi. Minister Toader replied by saying he would notify the Constitutional Court about the refusal.

Tudorel ToaderFoto: Facebook / Tudorel Toader

Minister Toader has proposed in February the dismissal of DNA head Laura Codruta Kovesi, as the offensive of the governing Social Democrats against efforts to root out corruption in Romania intensified.

The Superior Council of Magistrates later disagreed with the arguments, but the last word on the issue was with Iohannis.

The President said on Monday that the arguments presented by the minister are largely outside the letter of the law and that the minister himself depicted a report on the activity of the DNA, on which he based the call for Kovesi's dismissal, were rather a "position" regarding the public debates, which induces the idea of a subjective evaluation.

Shortly after the President's statements, Minister Toader said he would notify the Constitutional Court about Iohannis' refusal to revoke Kovesi. He made the announcement on Facebook.