Save Romania Union (USR), the second biggest opposition party in Romania’s Parliament, yesterday notified the Constitutional Court about possible unconstitutional provisions included in the new justice laws the Parliament adopted at the end of last year.

The notifications were signed by all of USR’s 27 deputies as well as 16 deputies of the Popular Movement Party (PMP), four independent deputies, and three liberal deputies.

“The opposition has the duty to use all means available to block this toxic coalition from capturing the whole power in the state,” said USR president Dan Barna.

According to USR, the new justice laws violate the obligations Romania took on when joining the European Union.

The High Court of Cassation and Justice and the National Liberal Party (PNL) have also challenged the new justice laws at the Constitutional Court. CCR will analyze the notifications received from the high court and PNL today.

The new justice laws, which bring changes in the functioning of some important judiciary institutions and modify the status of magistrates in Romania, were adopted in an emergency procedure by the Parliament at the end of last year. The laws were then sent to president Klaus Iohannis for promulgation.

The changes to the justice laws, promoted by the ruling PSD-ALDE coalition, may weaken the justice independence, according to magistrates, opposition parties, civic organizations and foreign embassies, which have expressed negative opinions on these laws.

editor@romania-insider.com