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The Government approved, through a decision, to pay a financial voluntary contribution on Romania's behalf worth 100,000 Euro, to the Fiduciary Fund of the International Criminal Court (ICC), intended to support the activity of the Prosecutor for the year 2022, in the context of investigation in Ukraine for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, according to a press release sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).
According to the MAE, the financial contribution will be supported from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the year 2022 and comes as a response to the ICC's Prosecutor appeal addressed to member states to the Rome Statute of ICC (founding act of the Court in Hague) of supporting its Bureau's action priority areas with adequate resources, based on the increased degree of charge generated by the multitude of ongoing cases, including the new investigation for international crimes above-mentioned, carried on Ukraine's territory in the context of the aggression launched by the Russian Federation.
"Given Romania's constant support for the mandate of the International Criminal Court and for the essential role of international law in order to maintain the international peace and security, the Romanian Government has decided to respond favorably to the request of the Bureau of the ICC Prosecutor, by offering this voluntary financial contribution, complementing the national contribution to the Court's budget, in order to ensure the smooth running of all its tasks, by respecting the principle of independence and impartial judicial procedures," the press release reads, Agerpres.ro informs.
The quoted source highlights that Romania considers the International Criminal Court as having an essential role in identifying and holding guilty persons accountable of most serious crimes, the ICC's actions being part of the firm message of the international community of rejecting impunity and reaffirming its attachment regarding international law and international order based on rules.
"On March 2, 2022, Romania and other 38 states parties of the Rome Status, including all member states of the European Union, have jointly notified the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court regarding the investigation of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on Ukraine's territory, including in the context of war of aggression launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The action ensured accelerating legal proceedings of the international court and immediately launching an investigation by the ICC Prosecutor in this case," the press release also reads.
According to MAE, until now, the Bureau of the Prosecutor of ICC has three preliminary ongoing examinations and 17 complex investigations, including the situation in Ukraine.
