Romanian President Traian Basescu said in a televized speech on Thursday evening that he had signs the Government was preparing an ordinance to bring down Romania’s main anti-graft body, the National Anti-corruption Department (DNA). He urged prime-minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu to stop blocking the path of Justice.

Shortly after Basescu's intervention, a Government spokeswoman said the Government had no plans of dismantling the DNA.

Basescu also demanded the government to urgently nominate a competent person to take over the seat of Agriculture minister, left vacant by the resignation of Decebal Traian Remes on Thursday morning.

Basescu accused the government of taking efforts to protect ministers suspected of corruption. And he said it was important to Brussels that Romania’s prime minister not appear as somebody blocking the act of justice.

He warned that a possible dismantling of the DNA may lead to the activation of an EU safeguard clause on Romanian Justice, which would block the decision of Romanian judiciary from being valid in other EU countries.

Basescu also dismissed that footage broadcast on the public television on Wednesday evening, depicting minister Remes in what prosecutors believe to be an act of corruption, were leaked by the Presidency.