Romanian minister defends quick endorsement of Justice Laws before Venice Commission review

The Romanian Government does not intend to wait for the Venice Commission's opinion on the drafts of the three laws of justice because the Executive needs to have them passed quickly in an attempt to secure the country's Schengen membership, justice minister Cătălin Predoiu told the Parliament on October 6.

European Union members have informally linked the country's Schengen membership to the termination of the Cooperation and verification mechanism - which in turn depends on the Justice Laws.

The ruling coalition, however, came under criticism from the opposition for its plans to endorse the Justice Laws quickly with no prior review from the Venice Commission.

In his turn, minister Predoiu argued that the recommendations of the Venice Commission are not mandatory.

"If the recommendations of the Venice Commission will involve legislative changes, then we will evaluate: maybe some of them should be implemented and possibly others should not. After all, the Parliament is sovereign in Romania as well, as it is in the rest of the EU states. That's why the recommendations are recommendations and not directives, not mandatory," Predoiu said, according to G4media.ro.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)