Romanian Constitutional Court rejects controversial amendments to Criminal Codes

The controversial amendments to the Criminal Codes drafted by Romania’s ruling coalition formed by Social Democrats (PSD) and Liberal Democrats (ALDE) breach constitutional provisions, the Constitutional Court (CCR) unanimously decided on July 29, local Hotnews.ro reported. Consequently, CCR returned the bills to Parliament.

The decision was taken after seven delays and is the second time the CCR rules as unconstitutional the amendments to Criminal Codes.

CCR accepted the unconstitutionality complaints submitted by president Klaus Iohannis and the opposition parties over the amendments made by the Parliament to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code.

The main opposition party, the National Liberal Party (PNL) said, after CCR’s ruling, that the Parliament should reject and not further amend the bill.

“Following today’s decision of the CCR, both legislative proposals must be rejected as a whole by the Parliament, which is also recommended by the Venice Commission in its report on amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code. Any adjustments to legislation should be the subject of a new bill,” PNL president Ludovic Orban said.

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