EC Representation: EU is increasingly concerned with rule of law in Romania

The European Commission (EC) will use with great care all the procedures at its disposal to address the concerns related to the independence of justice in Romania and will respect its mandate to the letter, according to the head of the EC Representation in Bucharest, Angela Cristea.

"There is the infringement procedure, there is also the “nuclear option” [of activating Article 7 of the Treaty of the EU], but we hope we will not get there," she said in an interview for Radio France International (RFI) quoted by Hotnews.ro.

Romania’s Government endorsed last week, by two emergency ordinances, controversial amendments to the justice laws, prompting protests of magistrates and civic organizations concerned with the rule of law.

“We are not convinced by the arguments that come from Romanian counterparts and who say that the independence of the judiciary will not be affected, "Angela Cristea stressed.

Regarding the newly established Special Section for the Investigation of Magistrates, Cristea says that the emergence of this structure, despite the recommendations of the Venice Commission, raises big questions and its first steps are far from easing the concerns.

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