European Commission’s First Vice President on Romania’s justice system
The European Commissions First Vice President has given assurances, in Bucharest, that all the information received by Brussels so far related to the Romanian justice system corresponds with reality
Corina Cristea, 02.03.2018, 13:32
The First Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, travelled to Bucharest on Thursday to have talks with all decision makers in the justice system, to do away with any doubts as to the accuracy of the information that Brussels has received on this matter.
Timmermans discussed with President Klaus Iohannis, with the speakers of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, with PM Viorica Dancila, with representatives of the justice system and members of the parliamentary committee in charge of modifying the justice laws. The European official’s visit took place in the context of the assessments that the European Commission makes as regards the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification in the field of justice and the fight against corruption, and shortly after Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader initiated the procedure of revoking the chief-prosecutor of the Anti Corruption Directorate, Laura Codruta Kovesi. Romania has made considerable progress in terms of the independence of the justice system, and must not back away, Frans Timmermans said at the end of his visit to Bucharest.
According to him, in the past 20 years Romania has achieved so many things regarding the independence of justice and it is like running a marathon and it is on the last hundred meters. His message for Romania is to keep running, and not go in the wrong direction. Regarding the CVM, the EU’s ambition is to be able to say that in 2019 they will be able to stop it, but this ambition cannot be achieved if the outstanding recommendations from the EC are not finalised. The most important thing is that everyone involved should work together, not against each other, said the European official.
According to the European official, the Mechanism for Cooperation and Verification can be lifted provided that the conditions are met. Talking about the possible dismissal of the anti corruption chief prosecutor, Codruta Kovesi, Timmermans said that if there are accusations against magistrates, then it is up to other magistrates to deal with them, as this is not a politician’s job. This has to do with the separation of powers in a state and this is how it’s done in the rest of the world, Timmermans has explained.
He has also said that there is no connection between the CVM and Article 7 as there is no systemic threat to the rule of law, as is the case in Poland. In his turn, President Klaus Iohannis has said that the justice system is completely independent and works effectively, adding that in the past few years democracy has been significantly consolidated in Romania, and the Romanian society’s civic spirit is ever more active, which proves that it has matured.
