An anniversary exhibition marking more than 35 years of cooperation between Romania and the Council of Europe's Venice Commission opened on October 20, 2026, at the 'Carol I' Central University Library in Bucharest, as part of the second edition of the Rule of Law Forum. The display traces relations between Romania and the Commission from the adoption of the country's 1991 Constitution to the present day, according to Agerpres.
According to information published on the Venice Commission's website, the event is curated by Laura-Iuliana Scantei, a judge at the Constitutional Court of Romania and Romania's member of the Venice Commission, with the support of the Commission's Secretariat. It features nine thematic panels exploring the history of cooperation between the two sides, covering the establishment of the Venice Commission, the drafting of Romania's 1991 Constitution, the rights of national minorities and Romanians living abroad, constitutional reform, judicial independence, rights and freedoms, constitutional dialogue with successive Romanian presidents, constitutional revision and elections, and relations between the Venice Commission and Romania's Constitutional Court.
In her keynote address at the Rule of Law Forum, Venice Commission President Marta Cartabia reflected on the history of cooperation between the Commission and Romania, noting that the exhibition "serves as a reminder of how much has been built together" while offering younger generations an opportunity to consider what can still be achieved together.
She also addressed recent developments, particularly the annulment of Romania's 2024 presidential election results, describing it as an important opportunity for the Venice Commission to reflect on emerging national security challenges that may affect democracies. The Commission subsequently adopted a report which, without assessing the Constitutional Court's decision, sets out general principles that other national authorities facing similar threats to electoral integrity may also take into account, Cartabia said.
Alongside the anniversary display, the Romanian version of the Venice Commission's "The Rule of Law: A User Guide" was also unveiled. Featuring original illustrations by Maltese artist Nadine Theuma, the presentation offers a fresh, creative perspective on key rule-of-law concepts. Available in both English and Romanian, it will continue as a travelling exhibition, visiting law faculties and legal institutions across Romania to bring the principles of the rule of law closer to students and the wider public.
The anniversary exhibition "The Rule of Law: A User Guide", and the Romanian translation of the "Updated Rule of Law Checklist" were produced with the support of the EEA and Norway Grants, as part of a Council of Europe cooperation initiative promoting the rule of law in 15 beneficiary countries.
