President Nicușor Dan said the “rule of law is not negotiable” and stressed that serious problems affecting the justice system can be resolved, as public concern grows following allegations of corruption highlighted in a recent investigative documentary by Recorder titled “Captured Judiciary.” People have been protesting for several consecutive days following the media investigation, demanding changes to the justice laws so as to ensure the independence of the system and limit the possibility of abuses.

In a statement made ahead of his departure to the EU Eastern Flank Summit in Helsinki, the president said he was taking with him the concerns of Romanian society regarding the functioning of the justice system, which he said he shares.

“The issues raised in the public sphere are serious, but they can be resolved. Within the limits of my constitutional powers, I will act to defend the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. The rule of law is not negotiable,” Dan said on social media. 

“For Romania to be a respected state internationally, it must first and foremost have fair, credible, and functional institutions at home. These two objectives do not exclude one another; they reinforce each other. The security of the state begins from within,” he added.

Nicușor Dan’s remarks come amid protests in several Romanian cities following the release of Recorder’s investigation, which alleges systemic interference in the judiciary, including the alleged manipulation of judicial panels and pressure on judges in high-profile corruption cases. The video investigation gathered roughly 4.5 million views on YouTube in about five days.

Recorder journalists said the two-hour documentary is the result of more than a year and a half of investigation and seeks to explain how Romania’s judicial system, a key pillar of democracy, has allegedly been captured by a network of magistrates and politicians.

According to the investigation, political actors allegedly created a centralized legal framework that concentrated power in the hands of a small group of magistrates, who in turn delivered a form of justice favorable to powerful interests. The documentary includes testimonies from within the system, some given under protected identity, describing pressure on judges, manipulation of case allocation, and reprisals against magistrates who refuse to comply.

In a recent reaction, justice minister Radu Marinescu told Digi24 that in a democracy, citizens have the full right to express their views, including through protests, and that signals pointing to dysfunctions in the justice system must not be ignored. Speaking live on the local news channel, he said he had publicly asked the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) and the Judicial Inspection to carry out checks into the allegations, stressing that the truth must be established based on evidence and that any wrongdoing must be investigated and sanctioned.

He also noted that magistrates who claim there are serious irregularities in the system should present concrete data and evidence to support their claims.

Previously, president Nicușor Dan invited prosecutors and judges to a meeting on December 22 to discuss concerns over the functioning of the judiciary.

Last week, the Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) held an unprecedented press conference in response to the allegations raised in the media investigation published by Recorder, with court president Liana Arsenie firmly rejecting the claims. However, at the start of the press event, a judge from within the institution publicly stated that the “toxic” conditions described in the documentary are real.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos / Alexandru Nechez)