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The first trial regarding the climate in Romania, opened by the Declic Association, started in central-western Cluj-Napoca, being supported by other environmental organizations, a press release of the 2Celsius Association reads.
The Cluj Court of Appeal decided, on April 10, 2023, to reject the exceptions of the ministries that would have blocked the process and thus ordered the start of the trial on the merits. Thus, the court rejected the exception of the lack of quality of interest of Declic and the exception of the prematurity of the institution's request for a fine. These exceptions had been raised by the institutions called to court, respectively the Ministry of the Environment, Waters and Forests and the Ministry of Energy, told Agerpres.
"Furthermore, the Urgenda Foundation, which won the first trial in Europe regarding climate change, intervenes in the case in Romania opened by the Declic Association. The Climate Litigation Network (CLN), part of Urgenda Foundation, sent a letter to the Cluj Court of Appeal, through which it supports the Declic process and brings to the attention of the magistrates the jurisprudence of the courts of several European countries. The Urgenda Foundation won the first historical case in Europe regarding climate change, against the Dutch State. Moreover, the first climate process opened in Romania by the Declic Association is supported by several environmental organizations, which intervened as parties in the process. It is about Bankwatch Romania and 2Celsius," notes the source.
The next term of the process opened by the Declic Association will be on May 22, 2023.
The chairman of the 2Celsius association, Raul Cazan, believes that, in recent decades, Romania has become the graveyard of second-hand vehicles whose imports were totally encouraged by fiscal policies and government programs.
"As a result, Romania's emissions from transport are increasing, unlike other sectors of the economy. This representative action in court is the last resort of civil society, proof that our advocacy for climate action has hit the wall of an irresponsible policy," Cazan declared.
The Declic community asks the judges to compel the Government to take concrete actions to combat climate change. Furthermore, the Declic representatives request in court for the fine of prime minister Nicolae Ciuca, the minister of Energy, Virgil Popescu, and the minister of the Environment, Tanczos Barna, for each day they postpone the measures.
On this subject, Declic invoked, in the action at the Cluj Court of Appeal, the fact that the Government's inactivity affects "the right to life and the right to private life, the right to property, the right to a decent living, the right to a healthy and sustainable environment, as well as the right to a dignified future of the generations to come".
"The state has the obligation to take measures to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for all citizens," the action submitted to the Cluj Court of Appeal reads.
