Romania's general prosecutor denounces pressure on judicial institutions

Pressures were exerted last year on the judicial institutions, Romania’s general prosecutor Augustin Lazar said on February 27 as he presented the Public Ministry's 2018 Annual Report.

Pressures were mainly exerted on the prosecutor's offices, he said, adding that legislative amendments were adopted regarding the career of prosecutors, local Mediafax reported.

The prosecutors had a hard job because those at risk of being indicted for their deeds are actually “making the law” in the justice sector, president Klaus Iohannis said in a speech held at the Public Ministry on the same occasion. Iohannis blamed the lawmakers and the Government for ignoring the recommendations coming from the European Commission and the Venice Commission.

"Unfortunately, the lawmakers’ option was to ignore the recommendations of the Venice Commission, also included in the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (MCV) report, and the recommendations made by the magistrates. The Government insists on abusive use of government ordinances, which generate profound and severe effects within the justice system. […] Transposing [into laws] the recommendations included in the MCV, or expressed by the Venice Commission or GRECO (another EU body monitoring the rule of law in EU countries) is not optional, but those in power prefer to ignore them,” Iohannis said.

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)