The European Commission has required Romania to provide clarifications regarding the so-called "Fritz amendment" in the new Integrity Agency Law, which leaves the mayor of Timișoara without a mandate. Specifically, the Commission seeks to understand how the law can be applied retroactively without being retroactive in itself, according to G4media.ro and Digi24.

According to information from Digi24, European Commission officials want to know whether these changes continue to preserve legal certainty, comply with European law and respect the principle of proportionality, as well as whether the law is being applied retroactively. 

In recent weeks, there have been heated debates in Romanian society between the government and the opposition, as well as between those who amended the law and those who oppose the amendments.

USR representatives said that the law applies retroactively to those found to have been in a conflict of interest, meaning that the punishment takes effect as soon as the law is promulgated by the president of Romania, for an act for which the respective mayor was found guilty in the past.

This situation does not concern only the mayor of Timișoara, Dominic Fritz, the leader of USR. There are several other mayors across the country who could be affected. 

Brussels also wants to assess whether the principle of proportionality is being applied, according to Digi24, given that the punishment must also be assessed according to the seriousness of the offence. The automatic termination of a mandate obtained through an election can represent a particularly serious consequence.

The Integrity Law is being assessed under the sixth and final PNRR payment request, which has not yet been submitted by the Romanian authorities.

iulian@romania-insider.com

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