NATO Summit a success for Romania, Romanian PM discusses justice system in Brussels
The NATO Summit is a success for Romania
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis attended on Wednesday and Thursday the NATO summit in Brussels. The meeting was tense, due to pressure from US President Donald Trump on member states to increase defense spending. After the summit, the Romanian head of state said that his country obtained two very important things: an operational command center and the improvement in the status of the multinational force stationed on its territory.
President Iohannis has said that when the operational center is launched, about 400 officers from all NATO countries will be present in Romania. Regarding the multinational brigade, the head of state has said that it was given a permanent status, and that Romania will continue to negotiate with NATO partners for a solid presence. On this occasion, Romania announced it would bring up the size of its Afghanistan contingent from 770 to 950 servicemen. This is a significant increase, and President Iohannis said he was convinced that NATO was not just about getting security, but also providing it.
Also at the summit, Romania had the initiative of a Black Sea meeting. The summit was dominated by defense spending, in discussions behind closed doors. In the end, President Trump got a commitment for the allies to increase their contributions by 33 billion dollars, with a view to reaching 2% of each one's GDP being spent on the alliance.
The Romanian PM discusses the justice system in Brussels
Romanian PM Viorica Dancila in Brussels spoke to the president of the EC, Jean-Claude Junker, in a meeting attended, among others, by the first Vice-president of the Commission, Frans Timmermans, and Regional Policy Commissioner, Corina Cretu. The main topic under discussion was the justice system in Romania, a context in which President Junker said that his executive is monitoring developments in this area under the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification, which came into effect in 2007, when Romania joined the EU. The European official insisted that the justice system should not regress. The two discussed in particular the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedural Code, which the ruling coalition in Romania wants to make changes to.
Here is PM Dancila: “We talked about the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, we explained that they are the result of debates lasting almost a year in Romania’s Parliament. Magistrates and judges were consulted, everyone who has a word to say in this regard. In case things were unclear, or there were worrying issues, I asked for them to be discussed point by point, precisely in order to remedy some things.”
On the agenda of the talks there were also the preparations for Romania's term at the presidency of the EU Council in the first half of next year, the future budget of the Union, and the Brexit. The Romanian PM also held talks with Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner, Phil Hogan, and with Budget and Human Resource Commissioner, Gunther Oettinger.
Changes in the leadership of the Anti-corruption Directorate
Early this week, President Klaus Iohannis signed an executive order dismissing the head of the Anti-corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi. The head of state was forced to fire her after a controversial ruling by the Constitutional Court. The highest court said that there was a constitutional conflict between the executive and the president. The president initially refused to act on the demand made by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader to dismiss the head of the Anti-Corruption Directorate.
Kovesi spoke in a press conference about the activity of her institution: “The Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) has proven that everyone is equal before the law, and that no one is too powerful to be prosecuted. Independent prosecutors have investigated people who seemed untouchable, irrespective of their position, their social status, or wealth. With these investigations, we have raised awareness in society regarding how serious corruption was as a phenomenon. The brutal way in which criminal law is being changed forcibly shows us that they want protection for the past, the present, and the future.” General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar appointed as interim head of the Anti-Corruption Directorate Anca Jurma, an experienced prosecutor with the institution. She said that the fight against corruption has to continue.
Anca Jurma: “The directorate has a major responsibility in carrying out the mandate it is conferred by law, namely high level corruption. To this end, the Directorate has to remain a strong institution, independent and relevant, as long as Romania is still faced with the phenomenon of corruption.”
Kovesi's departure, long sought by the left wing government, sparked reactions from the EC, which pointed out it may re-evaluate the sustainability of the fight against corruption in Romania, considering that the ability of the DNA to yield good results is now under doubt.
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