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The US ambassador: we have serious worries regarding the initial proposals of the minister of justice
The ambassador of the US Hans Klemm stated on Monday that he watched with much attention the debates in the parliament regarding the justice laws, ‘ with very serious worries regarding the initial proposals of the minister of justice’.
The US ambassador Hans Klemm said in an interview for the newspaper Expres de Banat that he followed with attention the evolution in the parliament of the package of justice laws.
‘As regards the package of justice laws initially prepared by the minister of justice and presented to the parliament we are closely watching the evolution and we are expecting to see what amendments will appear in the parliament and what the final version will be in the commission. As you have mentioned we have very serious worries regarding the initial proposals of the minister of justice. The reason is that over the last 15 years Romania has led a more and more credible fight against corruption at high and medium level..Romania has created judicial independence, set up institutions which deal with the investigation of the criminals and corruption, I refer to the DNA. As regards the situation in the region, the US think that Romania is the country with the highest credible fight against corruption. Surely, many things could be done as regards prevention and education, but Romania has exceptional results as regards the punishment of corrupted’ said the US ambassador.
Hans Klemm said that there were worries as the amendments proposed by the minister of justice showed that there might mean steps back in the anti-corruption fight.
‘We were worried with regard to the initial package of laws presented by the minister of justice which suggested that it might mean steps back as regards the aspects mentioned earlier and I can tell you that we are following carefully what happened in the parliament last week and what is happening this week and which will be the final format that comes from the commission’ Klemm said.
The same day, the U.S. State Department has expressed concern about planned legislation it says could weaken Romania’s fight against corruption, AP correspondent reports quoted by washingtonpost.com.
In a statement Monday, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the proposals threaten “the progress Romania has made in recent years to build strong judicial institutions shielded from political interference.”
The statement urged Parliament “to reject proposals that weaken the rule of law and endanger the fight against corruption.”
Romania has been praised for efforts to clamp down on high-level corruption in recent years. However, the left-wing government wants to revamp the justice system, which has sparked protests. On Sunday, tens of thousands demonstrated across Romania.
One proposal is to legally prevent Romania’s president from blocking the appointment of key judges. President Klaus Iohannis says he will use constitutional means to oppose the plan.