Romania's Constitutional Court invalidates law that abrogates lawmakers' "special" pensions

Romania's Constitutional Court on May 5 invalidated the draft law for the abrogation of the so-called "special pensions", technically financial rights received by former members of the Parliament.

Some 70 former members of the Parliament objected in ordinary courts against Law 7/2021 that amended Law 96/2006 on the statute of former lawmakers, and in turn, the courts referred the law to the Constitutional Court.

The law invalidated by the CCR was passed under accelerated procedures with 357 votes of the lawmakers (against 30) on February 17, 2021.

The draft law, promoted by the Government, was passed by the Parliament within a single day, and this breached constitutional provisions regarding the procedures, the CCR ruled. Six of the CCR's nine judges supported the final decision to invalidate the draft law, while three voted against, according to sources familiar with the process, G4media.ro reported.

CCR member Daniel Morar announced that he argued for postponing the final decision and left the meeting - which, in his view, invalidates the final decision.

The decision was taken "with a majority of votes", according to the CCR's statement.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)