Donald Tusk posts ironic tweet after meeting with Romanian PM

European Council president Donald Tusk posted a message on Twitter after his Thursday meeting with Romanian prime minister Viorica Dancila, in which he ironically said that he might be “old fashioned” for believing that “it’s for judges, not politicians to decide who’s guilty and who’s innocent.”

He tweeted the same message in both English and Romanian.

His message implies that the two officials also touched the subject of the Romanian justice system reform during their talk on Thursday, a reform promoted and strongly supported by the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) but criticized by Romanian politicians from the opposition, the president and even international partners.

However, the press release issued by the Romanian government after the meeting doesn’t refer to such a subject. The government says the two talked about the future of Europe and the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, the upcoming summit in Sibiu, and Brexit.

Donald Tusk’s tweet seems to refer to the announced Government emergency ordinance that would allow some people with final convictions to challenge their sentences. The Romanian justice minister announced in January that he drafted an ordinance that would allow all people convicted by illegally composed five-judge panels at the High Court of Cassation and Justice, starting 2014, to challenge their final sentences. This prompted firm reactions from the European Commission, President Klaus Iohannis and representatives of civic organizations.

(Photo source: Donald Tusk on Twitter)