World Jewish Congress President Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder expressed his deep concern in a message to President Nicusor Dan regarding the latter's decision to postpone the promulgation of the Vexler law.
"I am deeply concerned by President Dan's decision to delay the adoption of legislation that would significantly strengthen Romania's ability to confront antisemitism and the distortion of Holocaust history. This is a law that has twice been declared constitutional and was developed through broad cooperation with Romania's democratic institutions. President Dan's decision to request a re-examination has been widely perceived, both domestically and internationally, as legitimizing efforts to rehabilitate war criminals and emboldening those who seek to deny or distort the Holocaust. This carries the risk of eroding decades of progress Romania has made in confronting its past and honoring the memory of its victims," reads Ronald S. Lauder's statement as posted on Facebook by the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania.
The President of the World Jewish Congress respectfully urges the President of Romania to consider the broader implications of delaying the adoption of this legislation and to support its swift enactment.
According to 2023 estimates, Romania is home to a Jewish community of approximately 8,900 people and was once one of the largest Jewish communities in the world before the Holocaust, the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (FCER) stated.
President Nicusor Dan said on Wednesday that there is a difference between opposing extremist manifestations and passing laws that, in context, are "more confusing than helpful", referring to his intention to send the Vexler law back to Parliament.
"I am convinced that my position is absolutely legitimate given the current legislative context. (...) It's one thing to be firmly against xenophobic and antisemitic manifestations, and another to pass a law that creates more confusion than it solves," the president told a press conference.
In mid-July, President Nicusor Dan announced that he would resend the Vexler law to Parliament once the Constitutional Court published its reasoning.
The Constitutional Court of Romania rejected as unfounded President Dan's challenge to the Law on measures to combat antisemitism and xenophobia, which also bans organizations, symbols, and actions of a fascist, legionary, racist, or xenophobic nature.
In his referral to the Court, Nicusor Dan argued that while the Romanian state must act firmly to prevent and combat incitement to hatred and discrimination of any kind, but it must do so in a balanced manner and in strict compliance with constitutional provisions, or otherwise, it may have the opposite effect. Another argument he raised was the lack of clarity surrounding the definitions of "legionary" (Iron Guard member) and "fascist."
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