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Linking EU funding to the observance of the rule of law has sparked an entire debate in the Commission and the European Parliament and answers the principle of zero tolerance to fraud, European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu said on Monday in Bucharest.
"There has been an entire debate within the Commission and the European Parliament about tying European funds to the rule of law. A decision will be taken in the Council. I think this answers this principle that is clearly enshrined with the Commission and the European Union: zero tolerance to fraud. And on the other hand, the successful implementation of all projects, but also respect for the values and principles of the European Union. This is obvious. When a country joins this family it does so with rights as well as with obligations. In my capacity as European Commissioner, I have battled for this to horizontally apply to all member states, because the initial idea [was to attach this conditionality] only to cohesion funds. Practically, all funds will be affected, if the Council adopts it," said Corina Cretu.
Asked by journalists whether the amnesty and pardon ordinances could have an impact if the decision to link European funding to the rule of law is passed, the European Commissioner for Regional Policy answered in the affirmative, but said it remains to be seen how this mechanism will work and how rule of law observance will be measured as per the formula adopted by the Council.
Earlier this year, Minister of Justice Tudorel Toader said in an interview aired by private broadcaster Antena 3 that he wants to close the subject of a government ordinance on amnesty and pardon, emphasizing that his ministry can only issue an opinion to a relevant draft law initiated in Parliament.
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JusMin Toader also said that he wouldn't do anything that would cause a state of danger similar to the infamous Emergency Ordinance No. 13 of 2017.
European Commissioner for Regional Policy Corina Cretu attended on Monday the meeting of the members of the Conference of the Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC) organized in Bucharest under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
AGERPRES .
