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The Senate plenary adopted on Wednesday by a vote of 75 to 32 and one abstention the bill amending the Criminal Code, in the version drafted by the Select Committee on the justice laws.
The Select Committee on the justice laws on Tuesday issued a favorable report on the amendments to the Criminal Code, removing from its initial version several provisions which had been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Romania. The committee also maintained several articles, although they had come under the opposition's criticism, because they had not been challenged or declared unconstitutional.
One of these provisions refers to shorter statutes of limitation: thus the time limit for criminal liability will be of 8 years, compared to 10 years as per the law in force, when the law provides for a sentence longer than 10 years in prison, but not exceeding 20 years; and 6 years, instead of 8 years, when the law provides for more than 5 years in prison, but not exceeding 10 years.
Another text concerns the repeal of the article on negligence in office. Another change provides for a one-year term where a denunciation can be filed. "The briber shall not be punished if he denounces the deed before the criminal investigative body has been notified of it, yet no later than one year since the date of the crime," the text reads.
Liberal Senator Alina Gorghiu asked that the bill be taken off the agenda because the report thereon had not been released on the site three days before being put up for debate, as required by the Regulation, in order to be consulted by MPs. The proposal was rejected at the vote, and Gorghiu announced that the National Liberal Party will again file a constitutional challenge after the bill is adopted by Parliament.
The Senate is the first chamber notified on this piece of legislation.
AGERPRES
