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European Commissioner Corina Cretu said on Thursday that here was no vote in the College of Commissioners to send a letter on behalf of the European Commission to warn Romania about the changes to the laws of justice, stressing that the statements of Chairman of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea about her "are based on misinformation".
"A clarification is required following the recent attacks against me which come from Mr Liviu Dragnea and other of his people: I am a member of the College of Commissioners, not of the Council of Ministers - where the ministers of the national governments (including the Government of Romania ) meet. There was vote to send this letter in the College of Commissioners. I am sorry to see that these attacks are escalating and I hope that the last week of campaign does not polarize the society even more, especially since the narrative against me is based on misinformation!" Corina Cretu wrote on her Facebook page.
Her reaction came after Social Democrat leader Liviu Dragnea said that "Ms. Corina Cretu voted against Romania." Asked on Thursday to comment on the decision made in the College of Commissioners on April 30, in connection with the letter warning Romania, Dragnea replied: "If things are as the European Commission spokesperson says, I see that Mrs. Corina Cretu, who is running in the elections for the European Parliament on the list of a political formation made of former Securitate members, has voted against Romania. When there's an unanimous vote to send a letter to sanction Romania, with no grounds at all, while at the same time you are campaigning for a party that is against the governing party, when you claim you support your country but vote against your country, you cannot be but a liar."
At the end of last week, First Vice-President Frans Timmermans sent a new letter to the Romanian authorities expressing concern about developments in the rule of law in Romania. The letter was addressed to President Klaus Iohannis, to the President of the Senate, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Liviu Dragnea, and to Prime Minister Viorica Dancila.
