MEPs from the relevant European Parliament Committees will audition on Tuesday (26 February) the three candidates for the position of the first-ever chief prosecutor of the European Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO).
The European Public Prosecutors Office, first envisioned in the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, will coordinate national law enforcement efforts with the European police and law agencies Europol and Eurojust, as well as the EU anti-fraud office OLAF.
The prosecutor will have the power to coordinate police investigations, freeze and seize assets, and arrest suspects across borders.
The most publicised figure among the candidates is Laura Codruţa Kövesi, the former chief prosecutor of Romania’s anti-corruption agency (DNA). The hype behind her candidacy is due to the fact that the entire Romanian government and MEPs from the ruling coalition are mobilised against her bid.