Romanian Justice minister Monica Macovei believes the fight against corruption in the country may slow down because politicians in Bucharest are lacking interest in this regard.

She was quoted by EUObserver.com saying that PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu does not get involved sufficiently in combating corruption and accuses him of blocking for months her attempts to push for a bill making it easier for law enforcers to monitor the wealth of Romanian dignitaries.

There was less enthusiasm for anti-graft measures than back in 2005, she said several days after the country joined the European Union.

And she argued with the draft law establishing a National Agency for Integrity, aimed at providing the means to control the wealth of politicians and which had been waiting for Parliament approval since April last year despite pressure from the European Commission.

And she welcomed a EC decision to continue monitoring the moves against Romanian corruption even after EU accession.

PM Tariceanu hit back on Monday as he claimed in a TV show that she was one of Macovei’s main supporters when it came to the Agency for Integrity and had only had several objections to the initial project.