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society organisations,” wrote Maja Bjeloš of the Prague Security Studies Institute for the LSE’s European Politics and Policy blog.
“What started as a protest against state violence and unprecedented state media control revealed all the cracks of a deep- ly broke system,” wrote Alida Vracic, vis- iting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), in a comment on the Serbian protests. “Unresolved murders; attacks on political opponents, the media, and free thinkers; decades of restricted democratic freedoms; and the general atmosphere of fear have finally resulted in fully fledged protests resem- bling those of the late 1990s.”
“97,500 – resist!”
The triggers for the more recent protests in neighbouring Montenegro, were
the accusations of corruption levelled against long-ruling President Milo Djukanovic by the owner of two troubled local banks. In January, businessman Dusko Knezevic claimed a warrant
had been issued for his arrest by a “clan” related to the president, who, he claimed further, had been trying to take over his businesses and properties along Montenegro’s Adriatic coast. Knezevic also says he was one of the biggest donors to the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) over the last 25 years, and released a video showing himself giving money to a member of the DPS
to support Djukanovic’s campaign in the 2018 presidential election. The DPS has downplayed Knezevic’s importance as
a donor, but protest organisers say he gave €97,500 to the party, a figure that gave rise to the name of the movement: “97,500 – resist!”
At the protests so far, participants chant- ed “Milo, thief” and carried banners reading “No more crime”, “Rebellion” and “We are the state”. While the main grievance voiced by protesters concerns corruption, they also accuse Djukanovic of undermining human rights and media freedom.
In addition to Serbia and Montenegro, two more of the aspiring EU entrants from the Western Balkans have been racked by protests this spring.
European Parliament backs former head of Romanian anti-graft agency for European chief prosecutor role
Carmen Simion in Bucharest
The European Parliament's Conference of Presidents endorsed the nomination of the former head of Romanian's National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), Laura Codruta Kovesi, for the role of European chief prosecutor, the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament announced on March 7.
The same day, Kovesi said she had been informed she was accused of having led an organised group of DNA prosecutors who sent an unnamed person to trial, Hotnews.ro reported. The special section for investigating magistrates had previously started another investigation into the former head of the DNA. Kovesi claims the investigations are intended to stop her from obtaining the European chief prosecutor job.
"The Romanian government, which is currently trying to pass laws to de-facto legalise corruption in the country for officials, is attempting
to discredit Kovesi through the courts even today. Now, we call on EU member states to show that they are on the side of justice and not to bow to pressure from the Romanian government when it comes to the final selection for the European Chief Prosecutor," Ska Keller, president of the Greens, said in a statement.
The new European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) will be tasked with investigating and prosecuting corruption, cross-border VAT fraud and crimes against the EU budget. It will begin its work by the end of 2020.
At the end of February, the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parlia- ment selected Kovesi as their top candidate for the position of European chief prosecutor. The selection came despite harsh criticism from Romania’s ruling coalition who accuse Kovesi of abuse.
Kovesi was removed as the head of the DNA last year, after President Klaus Iohannis signed a decree dismissing her, as required by the Constitutional Court. The procedure to remove Kovesi was initiated in February 2018 by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader over alleged misconduct within the agency. After Iohannis refused to endorse the government’s request to dismiss Kovesi. Romania’s government appealed to the Constitutional Court, which ruled
on May 30 that Iohannis should dismiss the head of the DNA. Kovesi has repeatedly rejected Toader's accusations, while Romania’s magistrates' body, the CSM, issued a negative review of Toader’s request to dismiss her back in February.
Under Kovesi’s management, in 2017 alone the DNA sent to trial 997 defendants, including three ministers, a former head of the Chamber of Deputies, and six MPs.
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