Study: Most Romanians don’t want amnesty or pardon for acts of corruption

Amid the controversies raised by the ruling coalition’s plan to draft and pass an emergency ordinance on amnesty and pardoning, a study revealed that most Romanians (91% of respondents) oppose the pardoning of criminals convicted for corruption, as well as the amnesty of acts of corruption. Moreover, the same study also showed that 87% of the Romanians who voted for the ruling coalition PSD/ALDE or the Alliance of Hungarians in Romania UDMR at the 2016 parliamentary elections don’t want amnesty or pardon for acts of corruption. The study was carried out by ISSPOL at the request of Geeks for Democracy, between December 4 and December 11. A total of 1,064 people took part in the poll. The survey’s results also revealed that 63% of Romanians believe that the penalties for corruption are too small. Meanwhile, 73% said they’ve been affected by corruption in a large and very large proportion and 80% said the fight against corruption is important for them. Also, 91% want Romania to continue to be part of the European Union. The ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) is planning to adopt an emergency government ordinance on amnesty and corruption, according to the local media, a measure highly criticized by the president, the opposition and several NGOs. Sources quoted by local Hotnews.ro said that PSD already drafted the emergency bill for amnesty and pardoning and will endorse it by January 15. In this context, president Klaus Iohannis decided on December 17 to send a letter to prime minister Viorica Dancila, requesting her to send him the agenda of each Government meeting. More rumours in Romania about imminent amnesty and pardoning ordinance Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com (photo source: Adobe Stock)