"Fortunately, after the recent reshuffle of 21 prosecutors general, he did make some compromises."
After the reshuffle and the following uproar, the minister met twice with the Reform Association, promising to make more open the transfer of personnel and to reform and downsize the special investigation forces.
Despite the unsteady steps and occasional troubles of prosecutors, achievements in cracking down on black gold over the past year have been notable, Chen Jui-jen said.
"In regard to both the gravity of cases and the status of the indicted suspects, what the prosecutors have done in the past year has exceeded the sum total of all they did over the past several years," he said. "Just look in the past -- there were far fewer ruling party figures indicted."
"Prosecutors have learned lessons, and have lost what we were supposed to lose [ie, the power of unauthorized search]. I believe they will be much steadier and more successful in the future."
He stressed that the war against black gold will take more than a year, and that it is still far too early to draw a conclusion.
"It is just beginning," he said.
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