RO+: Amendments to Criminal Procedure Code show PSD's strings being pulled by legally embattled groups

The opposition's Romania Together Movement (RO+) cautions that following the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code that freshly cleared Parliament, the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) no longer acts in the interest of Romanians but only in the interests of legally embattled groups. 

"Certain amendments that got the lawmakers' nod can give PSD head Liviu Dragnea a leg up in his criminal lawsuits. PSD proves yet again that they divert the legislative power the citizens have vested them with to the interests of the legally embattled party head. PSD thus turns into a party that no longer acts in the interest of Romanians but only in the interests of legally embattled groups," states a release on the website of the Romania Together Movement. 

The party argues that some of the fresh amendments "obviously show PSD's intention to help Liviu Dragnea and other Coalition dignitaries at a cost that could be immense for Romania and the country's judiciary." 

"The organized crime group is redefined, the provisions on false testimony are amended, and a new avenue for revision is introduced for the case the sentencing decision is not signed by the judge who participated in the settlement of the case. Last night's vote also shows that PSD defies the message of the foreign strategic partners and will keep on assaulting the Criminal Codes and the justice laws against the interest of the citizens and against Romania," assert the representatives of the Romania Together Movement. 

They further argue that US Secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs Wess Mitchell, who is currently visiting Romania, "had clearly warned that in Romania's relation with the US, the independence of the judiciary and the fight against corruption are of a fundamental importance." 

"Meanwhile PSD was preparing the Chamber of Deputies plenary meeting where the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code were to be passed, without waiting for the expert commission's report. The only concern of the PSD-ALDE ruling coalition in a key moment for Romania's Euro-Atlantic future is to adopt dedicated amendments for law offenders. At this moment we raise a red flag, that a man who fears law is at the helm of a party that drags Romania back to the time before EU accession, destroys the reform of the judiciary and treads down the rule of law for his own interests. This man and the party supporting him attempt to instate the rule of lawlessness in Romania. Each citizen and every political or civic voice are bound to oppose these amendments," the release further states. 

The bill amending the Criminal Procedure Code cleared Monday evening the Chamber of Deputies plenary by a vote of 175 to 78 and one abstention.