Veronica Dragalin, the winner of the competition for the position of Chief Prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA), will start her work as from today, 1 August. The new anti-corruption chief was presented to the staff on Monday morning. The order to this effect was signed by the interim Prosecutor General Dumitru Robu on 15 June 2022.

In her letter of motivation sent to the members of the competition committee, Veronica Dragalin said that she was “applying for this position, which for me is a chance to return to Moldova and make a significant contribution, convinced that my efforts as Head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecution Office could really have a positive impact. There is so much momentum at the moment, such a strong wave against corruption, against the way things have worked for too long, both in the country and in this institution. I know the road ahead will not be easy, but I would like to contribute to a fundamental and necessary change in the fight against corruption.”

“I believe that the Republic of Moldova will not be defined by the greed and failures of a few corrupt people. After all, after failure comes progress. Progress comes from fundamental change. And fundamental change happens when people recognize that the current system has failed. In my opinion, the Republic of Moldova will be defined by a new generation, which will use the opportunity to make fundamental changes. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office now has the chance to build a relationship of trust with the people through action and transparency. We will show the people that the system can work effectively to reliably identify a criminal scheme, take action to stop and dismantle it, and hold accountable all those responsible.

I am confident that I am the person capable of leading the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in the effort to reach as quickly as possible a positive resolution for the country in high-profile cases and beyond, applying the law equally and transparently. And I will make substantial efforts to gain the people’s trust in this institution, which has a particularly important role in the justice system and in our society.

I am running for this position and I hope to be accepted so that I have the opportunity to work alongside professionals who have dedicated their careers to justice. I count on their experience and expertise so that together we can remove the obstacles of the past and build a functioning institution based on justice and equality. At the same time, the experts in a system are not necessarily the best people when the system needs fundamental change. And I have something valuable and unique to offer-a different experience and a new perspective from outside the system. I’ve spent my career working within systems that operate with integrity and efficiency, both in the private sector and within the U.S. government. In my work as Chief Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, I will build on what I have learned working within these systems to make the changes that Moldova needs and deserves at this important time in its history,” the new head of the AP said in her motivation letter.

Minister of Justice Sergiu Litvinenco announced that he and Moldovan President Maia Sandu attended the event to introduce Veronica Dragalin on Monday morning.

“Together with the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, I attended this morning the presentation of the head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Veronica Dragalin, who starts her work today. (…) I wished Ms Dragălin every success and assured her that she has the full support of the Ministry of Justice, which is ready to help her achieve the objectives she has set herself. We are open to promote all legislative changes that are necessary to make the work of the prosecutors’ bodies more efficient”, wrote Sergiu Litvinenco on Facebook.

On Tuesday, June 7, Veronica Dragalin passed the pre-selection stage of the competition for the position of chief prosecutor of the PA. A decision in this regard was adopted by the members of the Superior Council of Prosecutors (SCP). Veronica Dragalin obtained the highest score in the interview – 72.15 points.

Veronica Dragalin is the daughter of Elena Dragalin, founder of Moldova AID and the Moldovan-American Convention, and the Dragalin family is based in the US. According to data published on the University of Southern California website, Veronica Dragalin was a former Assistant United States Attorney in the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

According to her resume, in 2019, Veronica Dragalin received the “Case of the Year” award from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). In 2020, she received the FBI Director’s Award.