CSM appeals to Judicial Inspectorate on PM allegations against magistrates

Prosecutors Section of the Romanian Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) called on the Judicial Inspectorate, on Monday, 11 June, to check on recent allegations of Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader, Liviu Dragnea, against magistrates.

Article 30 of Law 317 of states that CSM has the right and the obligation to defend judges and prosecutors against any act that could affect their independence or impartiality, or could create suspicions with regard to these.

Also on Monday, Romanian Judicial Forum Association sent the Superior Council of Magistracy a request to defend the independence of the judiciary in connection with speeches of some political leaders delivered at the end of last week, which Association consider as attacks coming from leading representatives of the legislative and executive powers in Romania.

Association urges CSM to intervene without delay, as a guarantor of the independence of the judiciary, to stop what they call "unprecedented attacks on judges and prosecutors."

Judges' Forum refers to speeches delivered at Saturday's PSD rally and to statements made by party chairman Liviu Dragnea on a television show, saying that the hardness of the political discourse using words like "Stalinists", "corrupt", "Securitate", "torturers" and "rats" - referring to magistrates are a grave slippage from the principles of democracy, according to Agerpres.

Judges' Forum also states that the independence of magistrates is not only a guarantee of the state for the performance of justice, but equally a right and duty of magistrates.

Association also asked CSM to refer the matter to the National Audiovisual Council, the National Council for Combating Discrimination and to other competent public authorities.

Source:RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei