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Chairman of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea said on Thursday that if the College of Commissioners has unanimously voted on the letter whereby the European Commission warns Romania about the changes to the laws of justice, then European Commissioner Corina Cretu has voted against her country.
Asked to comment on the decision taken in the College of Commissioners on April 30, on a warning letter to Romania, Dragnea said: "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."
Liviu Dragnea was on a visit to Dolj County together with Agriculture Minister Petre Daea.
The European Commission confirmed on Monday that First Vice President Frans Timmermans on Friday sent the Romanian authorities another letter expressing concern about the developments in Romania's rule of law.
The letter is addressed to President Klaus Iohannis, Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea, and Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, as EC spokesman Margaritis Schinas told the daily news briefing.
"The main concerns relate to developments interfering with judicial independence and the effective fight against corruption, including the protection of financial interests of the EU and particularly to the recently adopted amendments to the criminal code that create a de facto impunity for crimes. Possible legislation to allow extraordinary appeals would further aggravate the rule of law situation. If the necessary improvements are not made, or if further negative steps are taken, such as the promulgation of the amendments to the Criminal Code, the Commission will trigger the Rule of Law framework without delay, and will suspend the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. In addition, the Commission reserves its powers as guardian of the Treaties and will not hesitate to swiftly open proceedings under Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) against any related infringement of Union law it may identify. The objective of the Commission remains to help the Romanian authorities to find solutions to the rule of law issues that have emerged and to resume progress under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, as Romania has committed to doing. (...) As always, the Commission stands ready to engage in an active and constructive dialogue with the Romanian authorities and working together for a stronger Romania in the European Union," Schinas said.
