President Iohannis, about Kovesi's removal from office: I need to react in reasonable time

President Klaus Iohannis stated on Tuesday when asked how long it will take him to make a decision regarding the possible removal from office of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) head, Laura Codruta Kovesi that he needs to react within a reasonable time frame. 

"I need to react within a reasonable time frame, we cannot wait, for example, until December. But I don't believe anyone really expects from me to mechanically enforce a decision in a day or two. I repeat, I do not wish we end up in a state based on an empty shell but I wish, since these issues have surfaced now, to hold a debate, to discuss, to get this clear before we take a step," Iohannis said. 

Asked whether a potential resignation of Laura Codruta Kovesi would diffuse the situation, he denied. 

"'Paradoxically, not, because the questions have been asked, things were written in a reasoning of the CCR [Constitutional Court of Romania, ed.n.]'s decision and they must be answered. We cannot stand by and wonder: well, now what with the prosecutors, now what with the anti-graft fight? No, the anti-graft fight must continue, prosecutors need to be independent, under no circumstances can they be politically controlled, we cannot have a super-minister dictating the president what to do. Therefore it is important to straighten these things out, otherwise we will be left with an incertitude that makes things worse instead of clarifying them," Iohannis affirmed. 

He concluded that he is not breaching the fundamental Law by not providing a rapid response on this matter, but that he is watching over the enforcement of the Constitution.