New protests against changes to the judiciary

Thousands of people took part in protests staged on Sunday night in Romanias biggest cities against the latest emergency order to change the justice laws

Corina Cristea, 25.02.2019, 13:10

Thousands of people have again taken to the streets in Bucharest and many other cities in Romania to protest against an emergency order changing the justice laws. They demanded the repeal of the order in question, saying it restricts the independence of the magistrates and blocks the activity of prosecutors offices.

Initiated by the justice minister Tudorel Toader and adopted by the government last week, the emergency order changes the rules for the appointment of various categories of judges and eliminates some of the prerogatives of prosecutors. The order changes the process by which chief prosecutors are appointed and removes to a large extent the control over a department whose task is to investigate magistrates and which, critics say, was established to intimidate them.

These are the latest of a number of changes made in the last two years by the Social Democrats and their ruling partners, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, and which have generated wide scale street protests. “Were here to protect whats left of the rule of law, said the protesters, who chanted anti-corruption slogans and demanded the governments resignation. On Friday, hundreds of magistrates protested in several big cities, while some of the prosecutors suspended their activity to denounce the new changes.

The European Commission, the US Department of State and thousands of Romanian magistrates say the changes threaten the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. “The sudden changes to the justice laws by emergency order, without holding consultations with the Superior Council of Magistracy and with the magistrates, have a major impact on the ability of all prosecutors to carry out their constitutional duties, writes a press release from the prosecutors in Bucharest.

The Social Democratic Party, who has begun a controversial revision of the judicial system since returning to power in 2016, justifies its actions saying they “address the judges abuses and support a fair legal system. Critics say the purpose of these changes benefits, among others, the Social Democrats leader himself, Liviu Dragnea, who has been sentenced for election fraud. Under the tenure of Laura Codruta Kovesi, who was removed from office last year, the National Anticorruption Directorate indicted many officials for high-level corruption, including ministers and parliamentarians, winning the praise of the European Union. Recently, however, Brussels, who keeps a close eye on the Romanian judiciary, has repeatedly warned the government to act in agreement with the recommendations of the European Commission and to respect the rule of law. (Translated by C. Mateescu, edited by D. Vijeu)