Don’t fight it – prevent it!
The wrong way to handle corruption in Romania
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Corruption is an endemic phenomenon in Romania. It is only since the mid-2000s that serious attempts have been made to fight it. This was due solely to pressure from the EU prior to Romania’s succession. During the 2010s, corruption was increasingly fought through penal law. This is the wrong approach, since it leads to an ongoing political conflict that prevents the problem from being tackled at the root. This is reflected not least by the battle between the government and the DNA, the state prosecution service, which has damaged the independence of the judiciary. Transparent legislation, a limitation of the omnipotence of the executive, better funding of the local authorities and ongoing training for all employees and public servants are paving the way for a society in which the law is not available for purchase.
(Osteuropa 6-8/2019, pp. 191–204)