Opinions on the rule of law in Romania

The Government of Romania and its Western partners have diverging views on the much-debated reform of the Romanian judiciary

Bogdan Matei, 04.04.2019, 14:12

Bucharest receives
a cold shower right during its presidency of the Council of the European Union.
On Wednesday, both the European Parliament and the Commission called on
Romanian authorities to return to what they described as the right track of the
reform in the judiciary, and to abstain from anything that would disrupt the
rule of law.

The First Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans urged the
Government not to take any measures that would affect the judicial system and
not to create impunity for high-level civil servants sentenced for
corruption-related offences. Such moves would force the Commission to take
immediate measures, Timmermans warned.

Moreover, on
Wednesday 12 embassies of Romania’s most important partners and allies,
including the USA, France and Germany, voiced their common concern about the
situation in Romania. In a joint letter posted on social networks, the
embassies request all parties involved in issuing emergency orders on the
judicial system to refrain from changes that would weaken the rule of law and
Romania’s capacity to fight crime and corruption.

The head of the
government formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats, Viorica Dancila, was quick to reply. In no country do
ambassadors plan the agenda of the prime minister, she snapped.

She also voiced
surprise at the statements of First Vice-President Timmermans, and mentioned
that there is a group of experts from the European Commission and the Romanian
Justice Ministry, which have frequent consultations on topics related to the
judicial reform.

In turn, the
Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, an independent backed by the Alliance of
Liberals and Democrats in power, believes the statements made by the EU
officials have electoral purposes, ahead of next month’s election for the
European Parliament. Commentators disagree, and say that the parties of the
Dutch Timmermans and the Romanian Dancila are part of the same family of the
European Socialists.

Meanwhile, the
Opposition in Romania welcomes the West’s firm assessment of the situation in
Romania. On behalf of the National Liberal Party, the main party in Opposition,
Deputy Ioan Cupsa mentioned that the pillars on which Romania’s foreign policy
relies are the European Union, NATO and the strategic partnership with the USA,
and added that the changes in the judiciary may jeopardise Romania’s relation
with these entities.

The leader of
Save Romania Union, Dan Barna, says in turn that Timmermans’ statement on the
Romanian judiciary is the harshest reaction from the European Commission in the
2 years since the leftist Government has been accused of trying to pass
legislation in order to hinder the fight against corruption and to control
magistrates, so as to keep its indicted leaders out of prison.