Dominic Fritz: ANI is currently not functioning; in 2023 it found only 11 cases of unjustified wealth

The interim chairman of the USR, Dominic Fritz, criticized the activity of the National Integrity Agency (ANI) on Friday, noting that in 2023 the institution found only 11 cases of unjustified wealth.

The clarifications came after the Constitutional Court decided on Thursday that dignitaries and public officials are no longer required to make their asset declarations public and that they no longer have to declare the assets of their spouses or children.

"ANI is currently not functioning. It is laughable that, for example, in 2023, ANI found 11 cases of unjustified wealth, while any citizen can immediately name at least one politician, a customs officer, a civil servant who has a watch, a car, a house where it is not explained where the money for this wealth came from. So, the difference between ANI's official findings and what Romanians see in everyday life is so great that it is obvious that we need an ANI reform," said the USR leader, in a conference held at the party headquarters, according to Agerpres.

He reiterated that the USR will propose a revision of the legislation to ensure the necessary transparency, while also respecting the constitutionality standards imposed by the CCR.

"The Constitutional Court's decision is final, so I wouldn't like to speculate too much about how it happened. But for us, USR, it is clear that we still need transparency, and that is why we will work on a draft law that will integrate the criticism of unconstitutionality and see if there is not a version of the law through which we can continue to obtain transparency of assets for dignitaries and civil servants and at the same time respect - we must now analyze the motivation - respect the standards of constitutionality imposed by the CCR," stated Dominic Fritz.

He emphasized that the fight against corruption does not only consist of publishing declarations of assets and interests.

"ANI, at the moment, is being used as a political tool, instead of truly discovering unjustified wealth. And for that we need technology, automation and a new and credible leadership. And we will put all these things on the table for negotiations even with the CCR decision", the interim president of the Save Romania Union also specified.