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Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Prime Minister Ludovic Orban maintains that the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has compromised itself through the ECHR decision in the case of Laura-Codruta Kovesi, stressing the need to re-examine the way in which the Constitutional Court of Romania is made up and operates.
"We have today the confirmation at the level of the European Court of Human Rights that in the Constitutional Court of Romania the decisions made had grounds other than those that should concern the Basic Law. The decision to remove Laura-Codruta Kovesi from office was taken by the CCR on the basis of subjective dispositions and reporting, dominated by the influence, at that time, of Liviu Dragnea [former PSD leader, ed. n.] and the PSD [Social Democratic Party]. There was, at the political level, a taboo subject related to the implementation of the decisions of the Constitutional Court, in the sense of not harming the credibility of a fundamental institution in the Romanian state, as we felt compelled to respect the decisions even when we considered them unfair. Here is the Constitutional Court itself having been compromised by its own decisions that violate the European Convention on Human Rights. This seriously affects the credibility of one of the most important institutions of the Romanian state, and the responsibility goes to the CCR judges who have ruled that they can decide instead of the President of Romania," Orban says in a statement sent on Tuesday to AGERPRES.
He points out that this was not "the only questionable decision, contaminated by the negative influence of the PSD, of Liviu Dragnea and his cronies, who still populate the Romanian politics", recalling the amendment of the Justice laws and the refusal to refer and then take into account the views of the Venice Commission.
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Former Justice Minister Ana Birchall considers that the ECHR decision in the case of Laura-Codruta Kovesi represents a shameful slap for the CCR, seriously affecting the credibility of the Constitutional Court of Romania".
"It is also a devastating red card for the president of the CCR, Valer Dorneanu, and the judges who voted and supported this decision that is more about political games and in no way the law and the Constitution! I call on all those who supported and voted for this decision: Dorneanu (also being rapporteur), Varga, Pivniceru to resign with due apologies to the Romanians. The same apology should come from Lazaroiu, who supported and voted for the CCR decision. It's the only gesture that can wipe out the shame on the CCR," the former Justice Minister wrote on Facebook.
In her opinion, the ECHR decision is a very heavy and equally shameful slap for former Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, who was also a CCR judge for 10 years".
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The leader of the Save Romania Union (USR), Dan Barna, said on Tuesday, upon learning of the outcome of the trial won by the former head of DNA, Laura-Codruta Kovesi, at the ECHR, that in this case "the loser" is the Romanian state 'seized by group interests'.
"Laura-Codruta Kovesi won at the European Court of Human Rights the process by which she challenged the decision that had her removed from the office of chief prosecutor of DNA. I congratulate Mrs. Kovesi on the decision with which she fought to prove her justice. The loser in this case is the Romanian state. A state seized by group interests that have not yet been fully accounted for. Even if Liviu Dragnea no longer matters in politics, his closest are still in office. And their methods and way of thinking can come back to power at any moment. That must be prevented. At any price," the USR leader wrote on Facebook.
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The PLUS (Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity) leader Dacian Ciolos said that the former PSD Government, with Tudorel Toader at its helm, must pay for the "attempt to subjugate justice", in the context in which Laura-Codruta Kovesi won at the ECHR the process challenging the decision to revoke her from the position of chief prosecutor of DNA.
"I cannot rejoice when the Romanian state loses lawsuits at the ECHR, as happened today in the case of the revocation of Laura-Codruta Kovesi. But behind the Romanian state, in this case, there are some irresponsible, identifiable politicians with names and positions. The former PSD Government, with Tudorel Toader at its helm, took Romania to this embarrassing point. They must be known by everyone, and finally pay for trying to subjugate Justice, for almost four years, by all means, many illegal. These people have been irresponsible in public office, and this is what we have complained about in all the previous years. From violations of citizens' fundamental rights to unjustified expenditure of public money. These are not mere government mistakes, but premeditated villainies with serious consequences for Romania," the president of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament said in a Facebook post.
