Kovesi's mandate at the head of the European Prosecutor's Office is approaching the end. Who could take his place
Four senior prosecutors from all over Europe went out in the foreground as the main candidates to replace Laura Codruța Kövesi at the leadership of the European Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) next year, people familiar with the selection process told EURActiv.
Laura Codruța Kovesi ends her mandate next year PHOTO AFP
The EPPO management position, based in Luxembourg, is one of the most difficult in the European Union, because it involves coordinating a team of cross -border investigators aimed at the persons accused of fraudulent use of EU funds – from high -ranking officials to criminal organizations.
The main names conveyed for the EPPO chief
Andrés Ritter in Germany, currently deputy prosecutor at EPPO, leads the list of candidates, according to people who know the confidential process. As a prosecutor with over 25 years of experience in his country, Ritter specialized in economic crimes and fraud with EU subsidies and based on his experience when he ran for this post six years ago.
On the second place is Austrian Ingrid Maschl-Clausen, former EPPO prosecutor at the permanent representation of Austria near the EU and Eurojust, an institution that facilitates the cooperation between the law enforcement agencies, from its Hague headquarters.
The third candidate is the Italian Stefano Castellani, who is already working as an EPPO prosecutor in Turin, followed by the Spanish Emilio Jesús Sánchez Ulled, the chief prosecutor for crimes against the public administration in Madrid.
The four candidates were interviewed in September by top legal experts throughout Europe, as part of a confidential process, followed by deliberations on the ranking. The short list, already communicated to the candidates, must now be sent to both the EU and the European Parliament, who must agree together on the final candidate who will replace Kövesi, who must retire after six years.
Kovesi's mandate ends next year
The change at the EPPO peak is expected in October 2026 and takes place in the context in which the EU analyzes the reorganization of its anti -fraud architecture, a movement that could grant EPPO extensive power of investigation and protection of the next multiannual budget of the block.
The final selection process is expected that it will involve political negotiations and careful examination of the experience and independence of the four candidates listed – as it happened six years ago, when Kövesi was questioned by MEPs on the officials he convicted while working in his native Romania.
Kövesi's six -year term, started in 2019, saw EPPO involved in several high profile investigations – including cases related to top ministers in Greece, negotiations on EU vaccines, European People's Party and alleged EU funds by MEPs.
