European Parliament debate on amendments to the Laws of Justice in Romania

European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová reiterated the European Commission's call for the Romanian Parliament to open the debate on amendments to the Laws of Justice in line with Brussels’ recommendations and to reach a consensus.

The EU Executive shares the concerns of the Romanian citizens who protested on the streets, Commissioner Jourová said on Wednesday during a debate in the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

RRA Reporter Oana Bâlă: "European Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová stressed in the conclusions of the debate that the role of the European Commission is to assess the rule of law in each EU Member State and to act when it notices system errors.

Věra Jourová: "The independence of the Judiciary in Romania and its ability to fight corruption effectively is a desire of ours and it is Romania's endeavor for years.

After many years of hard work, Romania has managed to have a Judiciary, and Romania's population was as clear as possible in its support and in its desire to fight corruption".

EPP MEP Marian Jean Marinescu believes the Venice Commission opinion is necessary and argues that now in Romania the views of magistrates, non-governmental organizations and citizens are ignored.

Marian Jean Marinescu: "It is the action of a group of provisional-majority parliamentarians and of a constantly changing government, who, without responsibility and with a low competence, tries to deviate Romania from a normal course in terms of rule of law and from a responsible state in front of the citizens".

In turn, Social Democrat MEP Victor Boştinaru believes that the situation in Romania is not known at European Commission level.

Victor Boştinaru: "About the content of the amendments, the solutions are in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission, of the Constitutional Court and are inspired by solutions existing in other EU Member States. I refuse to believe that solutions guaranteeing the independence of justice, fundamental rights and freedoms in Western Europe are simply becoming unacceptable in Romania".

Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader was present at the European Parliament plenary debate, but wasn’t given the floor. He later declared to the press that he was not satisfied with the debate, considering that the issue has been discussed in an absolutely political manner and that the MEPs were not interested to find out the truth. Minister Toader promised to do "set an inventory of the untruths that have been said" in the debate in the European Parliament.

Source:RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei