Romania’s SocDem leader gets radical against PM Ilie Bolojan on magistrates’ pensions

Sorin Grindeanu, the interim leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the largest in Romania’s ruling coalition, has attacked prime minister Ilie Bolojan whose resignation he asked unless a committee is set up with the participation of the Supreme Magistracy Council (CSM) and the High Court (ICCJ) on re-writing the magistrates’ pensions law recently rejected by the Constitutional Court (CCR) on failures related to procedure, G4media.ro reported.

CCR spotted failures related to the content of the law, Grindeanu claimed, adding that PSD has a version of the law that would be approved by the Constitutional Court.

ICCJ referred the law to the Constitutional Court, and CCR invalidated it on the grounds that it lacks the consultative opinion of the CSM. All political parties have backed the law, which was referred to the CCR not by the opposition, but by the magistrates.

Amid abundant and aggressive criticism circulated by members of both CSM and ICCJ against the law that curtails magistrates’ retirement rights, which is publicly regarded as excessive, bringing the two bodies as part of a mediation committee on this topic seems far from a tractable idea at this moment. The initiative of the PSD leader might seem rather aimed at undermining the process of relaunching the law within the legal procedural requirements.

Minister of justice Radu Marinescu (PSD) argued in the past for broader consultations with the magistrates, but eventually backed the law as drafted by the government.

Sorin Grindeanu’s radicalisation may be linked, but only to some extent, to the internal elections expected in his party: he is the sole candidate for the leading position. But the magistrates' pension law may deepen the existing splits within Romania’s ruling coalition as Grindeanu may seek a more prominent position for his party.

Romania must promulgate the law by November 28, or risk missing a milestone with EUR 231 million funding attached, minister of investments and European projects Dragos Pislaru stated, as quoted by Hotnews.ro. He said that the law, as drafted by the government of Romania and approved by the lawmakers, meets the EC’s requirements.

Unless PM Ilie Bolojan accepts the idea of a committee and goes ahead with the law as already approved by the parliament, he must step down, PSD’s leader Grindeanu stated.