Today marks the end of Laura Codruța Kövesi’s mandate as head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO). An institution that once seemed like a bureaucratic utopia has become, under her leadership, a real safeguard against fraud involving European funds. From confronting hostile political systems to investigations exposing billions of euros in losses, her story is one of tenacity, professionalism and a Romanian woman earning the respect of an entire Union.

(Editorial team: Romania & European Union / Justice & Geopolitics)

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There are moments in a person’s career that reach far beyond individual achievement and become part of institutional history. Today is one of them. Laura Codruța Kövesi concludes her mandate as the first European Chief Prosecutor, a position she held as a pioneer. When she was appointed in 2019, few believed that an institution created to investigate fraud against the European Union’s budget would ever move beyond a project on paper. Fewer still believed that a former head of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), targeted and dismissed by the political establishment in Bucharest, could navigate the turbulent waters of Brussels bureaucracy.

At the end of this chapter, her record commands respect and gratitude.

Building an institution from scratch

Taking charge of a prosecution office that did not yet exist was a task only someone with a clear vision could complete. Kövesi was not merely a prosecutor; she was an architect. She had to build a complex organisation from the ground up, coordinating prosecutors in 22 participating Member States, each with its own legal system. She had to recruit staff, establish procedures and negotiate with governments wary of a new institution empowered to investigate their officials.

Major obstacles, political blockages and attempts to undermine the project stood in her way, but none stopped her. Through determination and persistence, she helped turn the idea into a functioning institution designed to protect the financial interests of European citizens.

Romania’s prestige on her shoulders

For Romania, Kövesi’s EPPO mandate has particular significance. For years, the country’s image had been tarnished by corruption scandals and political battles in which justice was repeatedly caught in the storm. Her removal from the leadership of the DNA, following an open conflict with the decision-makers of the time, could have seemed like a path into obscurity.

Instead, Europe recognised what the domestic system had tried to undermine: a principled and incorruptible professional. Her appointment in Brussels and the work that followed gave Romania international standing that no political speech could have bought. She showed that Romania is not only a recipient of European funds, but also a source of expertise and people capable of leading institutions at the highest level. The respect she earned in European capitals also reflected positively on the country she comes from.

A record of results, not promises

Beyond speeches, the EPPO became an operational force. Under her leadership, thousands of investigations were opened, cross-border fraud networks were targeted and substantial sums were recovered. From VAT fraud to the misuse of funds intended for agriculture and infrastructure, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office sent a clear message: the Union’s public money is being actively protected.

She helped establish a culture of cooperation among participating states, where local authorities had sometimes turned a blind eye to irregularities. It was not easy work, and criticism was inevitable, but the results spoke for themselves.

Conclusion

Laura Codruța Kövesi leaves behind a solid institution, a model of good practice and a benchmark for integrity. Her mandate was not comfortable; it was a continuous struggle in which every achievement had to be won. She leaves the leadership of the EPPO with the dignity of someone who refused to compromise her principles.

For Romania, she has been proof that excellence can prevail, however hard a system may try to bury it. For the European Union, she was the prosecutor needed to demonstrate that justice does not stop at national borders. Thank you, Madam European Chief Prosecutor. Your legacy remains a reference point for the future of a united Europe.