Romania urges EU not to hire former anti-corruption chief

In the letter, Justice Minister Tudorel Toader accuses Laura Codruta Kovesi of signing "secret and anti-democratic pacts" with Romania's intelligence agencies in order to cooperate with them on investigations linked to national security or corruption.

"The protocols, since ruled unconstitutional, bring to mind the intermingling of politics, intelligence and law enforcement so notorious in our nation during Communist rule," said the letter which was published Wednesday by the Romanian media.

Kovesi, 45, led Romania's National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) from 2013 to 2018 before being controversially removed at the leftwing government's behest.

Since then Kovesi has emerged as a front-runner to lead the new European Public Prosecutor's Office, which is meant to be in place by the end of 2020.

During her time as head of the DNA, hundreds of elected officials were convicted of corruption offences, earning her the enmity of many in Romania's political class and criticism that she had overstepped her mandate.

The government says Kovesi, along with the parts of the justice system and the intelligence services, acted as a shadowy "parallel state".

However, many Romanians retain a positive view of her, seeing her as a symbol of the fight to rid the country of its endemic corruption.

The DNA's work has been regularly praised by EU institutions, while the government has come under steady criticism from Brussels over proposed judicial reforms which could weaken the independence of the justice system.

The rows have overshadowed Romania's first-ever term as head of the rotating EU presidency, with Bucharest making clear its opposition to Kovesi taking the job in Brussels.

Governments from member states and the European Parliament are expected to approve a candidate for the new post at the beginning of March.