The justice laws, again in the spotlight

Prime Minister Mihai Tudose had talks with representatives of NGOs about the controversial amendments to the justice laws. Yielding little to no results, the talks have sparked new street protests

Corina Cristea, 28.12.2017, 13:18

43 NGOs that have been staging street protests against the ruling coalition’s changes to the justice laws and criminal codes have called, in an open letter, for a meeting with Social-Democrat Prime Minister Mihai Tudose, seeing dialogue as the only way to preserve and consolidate democracy. Dialogue and consultations between lawmakers and civil society when it came to modifying the justice laws fell short of expectations, the letter reads. Held on Wednesday, the meeting brought together seven representatives of NGOs. After several hours of dialogue, the meeting was inconclusive. Prime Minister Mihai Tudose agreed only to one of their demands, namely referring the justice laws to the Venice Commission, although he did not make it clear when and how this will happen.

Mihai Politeanu, a representative of “Initiativa Romania” civil organization, told us more: “Our second demand was postponing the adoption of the justice laws by emergency decree until the Venice Commission provides an opinion on it. Our third demand was the immediate sacking of Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, who’s stopped being a reliable dialogue partner, both morally and professionally, as far as civil society, state institutions and Romania’s foreign partners are concerned”.

NGOs have also told the Prime Minister that Romania has broken away with the standards of democracy and the rule of law, adding that street protests will continue as long as talks yield no concrete results. Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea told a private television station that he was confident no provision in the new laws will affect the judiciary or the magistrates’ activity.

Liviu Dragnea: “I hope these laws will mark an important step in the longer or shorter process of putting an end to abuses in Romania. I have carefully looked at the final version of the text before the vote, and the measures are all important”.

The debates on the justice laws have been very transparent, Liviu Dragnea went on to say. Referring to the right-wing opposition’s undertaking to notify the Constitutional Court on this matter, the Social-Democrat president doubts the Court will find the laws to be unconstitutional, adding that should some articles be declared unconstitutional, Parliament will step in to modify them.