Romania's Social Democrat government has tried to pass a series of controversial changes to the country's judicial system in recent months. The firing of the public prosecutor could draw the ire of the European Union.
Justice Minister Tudorel Toader (pictured) accused Public Prosecutor Augustin Lazar of exceeding his authority and officially asked President Klaus Iohannis to remove him.
Lazar had received praise from the European Union for his part in tackling high-level graft in the country, one of the most corrupt in the bloc. In his role, he oversees an anti-organized crime agency and an anti-corruption agency.
Lazar said "the independence of prosecutors is being violated" upon hearing the justice minister's request.
A recent supreme court ruling means that the president does not have the right to oppose the justice minister's request.
In early October, supreme court judges rejected 60 changes to the criminal code. Critics had feared the amendments would allow the leader of the Social Democrats, Liviu Dragnea, to escape a jail sentence and two other prosecutions.
The European Commission is expected to release a report on the rule of law in Romania in November.
Mass protests in Romania
More than 200,000 Romanians took part in an anti-corruption demonstration in February 2017. It was the biggest protest in the country since the fall of communism in Romania in 1989.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Pungovski
2017 rallies in the capital
Demonstrators joined several rallies in the capital Bucharest in February last year to protest against the government for decriminalizing certain corruption offences. The country's left-wing government adopted an emergency law to make abuse of power punishable only when it concerns sums that exceed 200,000 lei (44,000 euros)
Image: Reuters/Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea
Crowds hit the streets
Protesters set fire to street signs during scuffles with police. The government claims the new laws were necessary to bring the eastern European country's criminal code in line with recent constitutional court rulings.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/dpa/V. Ghirda
Police firing tear gas
Protesters say the proposed changes would be a blow to anti-corruption drives in Romania that have been ongoing for several years. Some demonstrators hurled bottles, firecrackers and stones at security forces, who responded by firing tear gas.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/dpa/V. Ghirda
Nationwide riots
Hundreds of thousands of protesters braved freezing temperatures in cities across the country. President Klaus Iohanis called the adoption of the law "a day of mourning for the rule of law ... which has received a grave blow from the enemies of justice."
Image: Reuters/Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea
Riot police called out
Four police and two demonstrators sustained minor injuries after protests turned violent in front of the Romanian parliament, police said. Twenty protesters were arrested and a number of Molotov cocktails were seized, according to a police statement.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/D. Mihailescu
Protest in front of the government headquarters
Between 200,000 and 300,000 demonstrators were reported to have turned out. Many shouted "Thieves!" and called on the government to step down in the light of the emergency decree.
