Political Consultations on the Justice Laws
President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, held consultations with the parliamentary parties
Ştefan Stoica, 25.10.2018, 12:47
On Wednesday, just one day after a European Parliament address in which he vowed that Romania respects the rule of law and that the fight against corruption will carry on, President Klaus Iohannis held consultations with the parliamentary parties on a topic that dominates the public agenda in Romania: the controversial changes that the ruling coalition made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, backed by the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania, has operated on the justice laws.
Previously, the Venice Commission had released a report which found that some major elements introduced by the laws on the status of judges and prosecutors, on the organisation of courts and on the Higher Council of Magistracy, might undermine the independence of the Romanian magistrates and public confidence in the judicial system.
This is precisely why the President believes these laws have to be reconsidered, modernised and improved. He argues that the law-making cycle must be resumed and urges politicians to take into account the recommendations of the Venice Commission.
Klaus Iohannis: “As far as the political class is concerned, we clearly need a pact, an agreement between parliamentary parties in order to resume this legislation cycle and improve these laws. We have the final opinion of the Venice Commission, these recommendations made by the Commission must be taken very, very seriously.
The leader of the Social Democratic Party, Liviu Dragnea, opposes the resumption of the law-making process. He says an emergency order has already been tabled by the Justice Minister, which brings the necessary corrections to the 3 laws.
Liviu Dragnea: “Order no. 92 has been sent to parliament and is already included in the parliamentary agenda. This order, which incorporates a large part of the recommendations of the Venice Commission, has been drafted by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, following the meetings he had in Strasbourg with Venice Commission experts.
The Social Democrats ally, ALDE leader Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, believes that a parliamentary pact on the justice laws could be useful, if based on the principle of protecting individual rights and freedoms.
The National Liberal Party, in opposition, shares the opinion of President Iohannis, says the Liberal president Ludovic Orban:
Ludovic Orban: “In resuming the debates, we must pay heed to the recommendations made by the Venice Commission, the rulings of the Constitutional Court concerning the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Criminal Code. We should also take into account all the treaties that Romania has signed and the countrys international obligations.
Whereas Save Romania Union, also in Opposition, announces that it tabled a bill in Parliament that transposes the recommendations of the Venice Commission, the Peoples Movement party takes a radical view on the matter and wants the removal of this Cabinet, which has lost all credibility as far as the justice laws are concerned. The Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania says it is open to any talks on the justice laws, provided that the independence of the judiciary is not affected, while the other ethnic minorities represented in parliament plead for the creation of a special committee to harmonise the views of the Constitutional Court and of the Venice Commission.
(translated by: Ana-Maria Popescu)
