The draft law establishing the Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office (PACCO) was passed in the first reading during the February 20, 2025 session, with 61 members of parliament voting in favor. 21 MPs voted against it, while two abstained.
The electronic voting system malfunctioned during the vote, so lawmakers cast their votes by raising their hands.
Parliament members voted on the bill proposing the creation of a new specialized prosecution office – the Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecution Office (PACCO) – following the merger of the PA and the PCCOCS. Speaker of Parliament Igor Grosu confirmed that the project will proceed despite some hesitation among lawmakers.
“This project will pass with the majority’s support, the vast majority of deputies. (…) It’s natural for some to have different opinions. For example, some may ask how we will ensure the transition so that cases. (…) and investigations are not affected. These are valid questions that we will address between the first and second readings,” said Grosu.
However, the Socialists did not support the bill creating the PACCO, said Vlad Batrincea, leader of the Bloc of Communists and Socialists faction. He called the project “toxic.”
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“The document cannot improve because it is, from the start, toxic and will paralyze and block the entire Prosecutor’s Office system. The fate of the cases remains unclear. For at least six months, prosecutors will face dismissal, only to be rehired based on political decisions, meaning not everyone will return. This represents a purging process in the Prosecutor’s Office, and thus no improvements are possible,” said Vlad Batrincea.
PAS deputies filed a bill proposing the merger of the PA and PCCOCS and the creation of a new institution, the PACCO. The head of this new institution will appoint several deputies, though the exact number remains unclear. General Prosecutor Ion Munteanu will designate the head. Parliamentary consultations will follow, where representatives from the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Superior Council of Prosecutors, the Ministry of Justice, and other interested institutions will meet to discuss the best solutions.
The General Prosecutor’s Office has raised concerns about the project. In a press release, the PG representatives noted that, following a preliminary analysis, they identified “short-term, medium-term, and long-term risks.” The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office also criticized the proposal, arguing that “the proposed law threatens national security by leading to an increase in crime, including high-level corruption and organized crime.” Later, Minister of Justice Veronica Mihailov-Moraru stated that she might seek the Venice Commission’s opinion on the PACCO’s creation.