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Chamber of Deputies Speaker and Social Democrat Party (PSD) Chairman Liviu Dragnea and Senate President and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) Chairman Calin Popescu Tariceanu say, in a joint letter addressed to the European Commission officials, that they are concerned about the "inaccurate manner" in which it was informed "in regards to the transparency of the debate on the Justice topic in Romania."
"At the same time, however, we voice our concern about the inaccurate manner in which the European Union was informed in regards to the transparency of the debates on the Justice topic in Romania. To clarify these aspects we bring to your acquaintance that the debate on this topic has begun long before the laws in questions be discussed and adopted in Parliament. The dialogue was coordinated, in a first stage, by Romania's Government, through the Ministry of Justice, with the participation and consultation of all relevant organisations: the Superior Council of Magistrates, the associations of judges, prosecutors and lawyers, representatives of the civil society and the academic environment," the two Romanian officials underscore.
They point out that, subsequently, the projects entered Parliament's debate, with the participation of the organisations in question.
"At the same time, we stress that parliamentary debates took up 4 months and were broadcast live, on the Chamber of Deputies website, the entire period, thus providing the possibility to those interested to closely watch the arguments and voting on each amendment," the signatories of the letter maintain.
The cited document also mentions, "referring to the concerns voiced by the Commission in respect to the consensus achieved regarding these laws," that "out of the 316 amendments that have been adopted to the three laws regarding the judicial system of Romania, 229 were proposed by the Superior Council of Magistrates, and almost all the others came from or were supported by the professional associations of judges and prosecutors."
"A great part of them were also supported by the opposition parties, and tens of amendments were unanimously adopted by those attending the debates," the cited documents also points out.
Moreover, the chairs of the two Chambers of Parliament mentioned that the Constitutional Court is going to give an opinion on the justice laws.
"We would have expected, of course, that the Commission's analysis on the debates in Romania took place after the Constitutional Court voiced an opinion on all the three laws concerning the judicial system, so that the description be related to a comprehensive and objective image of the justice reform in Romania. In this respect, we underscore that the constitutional control mechanisms on the modifications of the three laws on the judicial system are in full swing, and the Constitutional Court is going to issue an opinion," the letter underscores.
The two Romanian officials voiced their hope that Romania will successfully conclude the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism, during the current mandate of the European Commission.
They appreciated that "the Commission's interest in respect to the debates in Romania' Parliament on the justice topic represents an opportunity to develop a constant dialogue between the two institutions for the clarification of all problems under debate."
"Consequently, we are voicing all openness for a closer collaboration, but based on truth and accurate mutual information, meant to thus ensure a solid ground for the consolidation of the rule of law in Romania, at the same time with the observance of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizen," the letter also mentions.
AGERPRES .
