A first in Romanian judiciary: DNA searches at the CSM

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Judge Adrian Neacsu, member of the Superior Magistracy Council (CSM), is investigated for forgery that caused damages of EUR 10,000. According to judiciary sources, DNA prosecutors have confiscated a personal computer from the judge’s CSM office.

Just a few days after the Superior Magistracy Council’s (CSM) section for judges, led by Horatiu Dumbrava and Adrian Neacsu, asked for prosecutor Oana Haineala’s resignation from the helm of the CSM, its two leaders ended up having files opened against them. The National Integrity Agency (ANI) has opened a file against Dumbrava for an alleged conflict of interests, while the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) has opened a criminal file against Neacsu for allegedly forging statements and thus causing damages of EUR 10,000, the luju.ro website informs.

In the latter case investigators picked up, during fairly controversial searches conducted at the CSM, a personal computer from Judge Neacsu’s CSM office. It seems Neacsu has even been subpoenaed by the DNA for January 24. Moreover, luju.ro claims that the CSM office was not the only one searched, the searches also targeting other locations in Focsani (the judge’s hometown, the judge having been former president of the Vrancea Court – editor’s note). According to information obtained by luju.ro, a possible connection that judge Neacsu has with Vrancea “baron” Marian Oprisan (PSD) is at the basis of the DNA file. At the same time, the DNA is investigating the CSM judge for certain actions concerning the Jurindex legislative programme (a database of court rulings built with European funds but also with the help of the CSM, the latter associating itself with Neacsu’s private initiative – editor’s note). Contacted by phone, CSM spokesperson Monica Prejmereanu refused to confirm that searches took place at the headquarters of the Council, but she did not deny the information either, the aforementioned source points out.Political analyst Radu Tudor, producer of a talk-show on Antena 3, stated that such a procedure is unprecedented in the history of the Romanian judiciary, adding that “searches conducted at night” are unacceptable in a democracy. “I understand from judiciary sources that these DNA prosecutors, on the basis of which prerogative I do not understand, searched the CSM headquarters last night and confiscated the means of communication of several members of CSM’s section of judges. (…) We are seeing political pressures exercised on persons that dare to freely express their point of view,” Radu Tudor stated. Apart from Oana Haineala’s resignation from the helm of the CSM, 7 of the 8 members of CSM’s section for judges asked judge Alina Ghica and judge Cristi Danilet “to assume the real and responsible representation of the professional corps of judges and to withdraw their candidacies for the office of CSM Vice President, thus avoiding the deepening of the crisis.”