A series of false information regarding in particular the laws of justice have their source both in Brussels and in Romania, and even the European Commission’s Delegation in Bucharest supplies such “lies”, Chamber of Deputies Speaker and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea said on Monday in a televised show.
“I got wind of this, of some circulating in Washington or Brussels the idea that I am actually anti-NATO, anti-European and pro-Russian. I am not talking about Russia, but 2 percent of GDP [for Defence] has been my commitment during the electoral campaign, mine and PSD’s. I insisted on this and I sent the budget back when I returned with [former PM] Sorin Grindeanu from Washington, because they had put 1.5 pct and we wrote it down at 2 pct. Everything that has been discussed for the defence industry and the growth of the Romanian defence industry, as well as other strategic partnerships with both the US and the other European countries that will continue this year have been established, decided in the coalition and implemented by the government. There is no measure, action or gesture from my part or of Mr. [ALDE head] Tariceanu against European values or against relations with NATO,” Dragnea told private TV broadcaster Antena 3.
Asked in this context how he explains the position of EC First Vice-President Frans Timmermans on the laws of justice, the PSD leader suggested it had all been built “drop by drop”.
“A lie instilled drop by drop from inside the country and from Brussels by MEPs, but also by officials from there. I tell Mr. Commissioner, he tells Mr. Director general and a sort of network takes shape. How is it possible for the European Commission’s Delegation in Romania to convey false information? Conveyed to all European commissioners?” Dragnea said, and went on to claim that although new PM Viorica Dancila had refrained until the other day from making press statements, it had emerged that during her term in office the government will demand a speedy adoption of the laws of justice and a revised version of the Criminal Code and of the Criminal Procedure Code. “How many other lies may have been rippled through this year? Of course, I don’t find this fair and honest towards Romania, that’s the idea,” said the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
He added that the laws passed by Parliament have been translated into English and referred to the embassies and to Brussels as well.
“We also put together a synthesis, complete with explanations regarding the respective amendments, plus the table with the amendments which, I think, to their majority had come from the Magistrates Association, the National Union of Romania’s Judges, the Supreme Council of the Magistrates and other professionals, and sent them both to the embassies here and to the European Commission’s Delegation in Brussels by various avenues. We did this on the second or third day after the laws were adopted in Parliament, while publicly demanding everyone to state whether they consider that any article or a particular article of the said laws affects the independence of justice. No one has said anything so far. They have been challenged at the Constitutional Court of Romania, the Court has ruled on a law. (…) We will proceed in Parliament with the amendments as per the Court rulings, but we have initiated this approach. (…) This is about Romania and beyond PSD and the PSD-ALDE coalition, this is a matter of importance to the President of Romania who, I hope, will go to Brussels to discuss in plenum or in private with [EC] President Juncker about this manner of collecting information from Romania. Because we want information from Romania to be real,” the PSD leader underscored.
The PSD leader expressed his hope that President Klaus Iohannis will discuss with EC President Junker, at a plenary meeting or in private, about “this way in which information is collected from Romania.”
European Commission’s representation responds after PSD leader accused it of misinformation: We don’t comment on comments
The European Commission does not comment on comments but is closely monitoring the parliamentary process and the modification of the judicial laws, reads a response offered by the European Commission’s representation after Liviu Dragnea accused it of misinformation.
“The European Commission does not comment on comments. Moreover, as a general backdrop, the Commission has closely followed the parliamentary process in Romania and the evolution of the talks concerning the modifications to the judicial laws, over many months. We are very well informed about this process, the stakes at play and the potential risks. We are frequently in contact with the Romanian Government and Parliament, and also with the judiciary and the civil society, within the framework of the Mechanism of Cooperation and Verification. You can attribute this answer to the European Commission,” reads the answer that the European Commission’s representation in Bucharest remitted to MEDIAFAX.
