Romania in breach of common values
NOW, IF YOU CARE TO FOLLOW ME, I LL EXPLAIN YOU WHAT EU VALUES ARE ALL ABOUT. | AFP PHOTO/GEORGES GOBET
After five years of progress as a member of the European Union, Romania has failed to follow the rule of law, according to the latest progress report.
On 18 July, under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), the Commission adopted a report, covering past five years since the country's accession to the EU in 2007. European Commission says it needs to respect the judicial independence and law to win back the trust of its European partners.
"The necessary checks and balances in a democratic system must be guaranteed. While progress has been made on judicial reform and the fight against corruption in the last five years, this progress has been called into question by events in the last month,” said president of the Commission José Manuel Barroso.
The report includes a number of recommendations that Romania should take urgently. They should work on the rules for the referendum on the impeachment of President Basescu, the respect for decisions of the Constitutional Court and of the Romanian Constitution, and the appointments procedure for key positions including the Ombudsman, or the General Prosecutor of Romania.
Barroso added that Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta has responded to these concerns and agreed to quickly address them.
“The Commission will monitor the situation to make sure that these commitments are honoured. Urgent and rigorous implementation of the recommendations under the CVM will contribute to ensure a stable, credible and investment-friendly economic environment and to reassure financial markets,” Barroso said.
Another report will be adopted under the CVM before the end of this year, to assess if the democratic checks and balances have been restored.
The European Parliament President, Martin Schulz, stressed that the EU is “a Union of shared values and mutual trust” and emphasised that “its members must respect democratic institutions, independence of the judiciary and the rule of law”. He emphasised that the Romanian government should “immediately follow” the Commission's recommendations.
Chairman of the largest group in the Parliament, the group of the European People's Party, Joseph Daul, and Manfred Weber, Vice-Chairman of the Group responsible for Legal and Home Affairs, said that “situation in Romania raises deep concerns”, in particular when it comes to “indications of manipulation and threats to both independent institutions and members of the judiciary”. “Our European values cannot be trampled on by anyone, not by a Prime Minister, not by a Government and not by any political party,” the EPP Group officials said. They have already fiercely criticised the actions of the Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta.
Groups of liberal-democrats, as well as Greens, have also welcomed the Commission's involvement in preserving the values of the EU and principles enshrined in the Treaties.
President of the S&D Group, that the governing social democrats of the Romanian prime minister belong to, also welcomed the Commission's progress report and invited “the Romanian government and parliament to take up the different recommendations and transform them as quickly as possible into reality to create a new and modern constitutional basis for the country”.
The European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding also stressed that “the European Commission is sending a clear message to Romania today. The rule of law is the foundation of our European Union.” She added that the Commission will continue to closely monitor the situation in the country.
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