Iohannis on possibility of CVM being lifted in 2018: I do not think so

President Klaus Iohannis said in Goteborg on Friday that he does not believe in the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) being lifted for Romania in 2018, saying that that the optimism displayed by the country's ruling coalition in this regard is "at least inappropriate." 

"I do not think so, and I believe their optimism on display is at least inappropriate," said Iohannis. 

The report published on Wednesday by the European Commission on Romania's progress with judicial reform concludes that Romania can fulfill its objective of having the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) lifted before the tenure of the incumbent European Commission ends in 2018, Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said Wednesday. 

"I have presented the conclusion of the report, which is positive, that Romania can fulfill its objective of having the CVM lifted before the tenure of the incumbent European Commission ends (...) I have taken note of the commission's assessment of the progress made by Romania with meeting the recommendations made in January 2017. It is a milestone report, which is very important to underline, is a progress report, a report tracing progress from the previous similar report of January 2017. The report highlights many of Romania's progress from January 2017, providing a basis for the Commission's conclusion on Romania meeting all the CVM recommendations in the near future, with 2018 being a possible time horizon. It is also the commitment that we have made that when taking over the presidency of the Council of the European Unions in early 2019, Romania will no longer be under the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism," Toader said at a news conference. AGERPRES.