EC Draft Report: Romania’s Top-Level Corruption Cases Still Stalling

Over the past six months, since the Commission’s previous report, Romania has not managed to sustain the reform momentum it had gained and the country’s presidential election end-last year has stalled debates in Parliament over the Criminal and Civil Procedure Codes, according to a draft EC report obtained by MEDIAFAX.

The report mentions the country’s Anticorruption Department DNA has continued its good track record and the reappointment of the prosecutor general for a new term has been a good opportunity for the consolidation of results obtained in the previous term.

The EC’s draft report also notes court sentences for corruption are too mild and don’t discourage such deeds. In 75% of the country’s tried corruption cases, defendants got the minimum punishment, the draft report states.

The EC reiterates criminal trials are very lengthy and nearly always stalled for more than six months because of exceptions of unconstitutionality. The report reminds that amendments to the law regulating the Constitutional Court, to eliminate trial suspension when exceptions are raised, are pending approval in Parliament since September 2009.

According to the draft report, Romania has made little progress in reforming its justice sector and jurisprudence in the anticorruption field has remained inconsistent and insufficient.

The EC recommends the country to speed up the adoption of its procedural codes and prepare the measures and legislation needed to implement them.

Over the past six months, since the Commission’s previous report, Romania has not managed to sustain the reform momentum it had gained and the country’s presidential election end-last year has stalled debates in Parliament over the Criminal and Civil Procedure Codes, according to a draft EC report obtained by MEDIAFAX.

The report mentions the country’s Anticorruption Department DNA has continued its good track record and the reappointment of the prosecutor general for a new term has been a good opportunity for the consolidation of results obtained in the previous term.

The EC’s draft report also notes court sentences for corruption are too mild and don’t discourage such deeds. In 75% of the country’s tried corruption cases, defendants got the minimum punishment, the draft report states.

The EC reiterates criminal trials are very lengthy and nearly always stalled for more than six months because of exceptions of unconstitutionality. The report reminds that amendments to the law regulating the Constitutional Court, to eliminate trial suspension when exceptions are raised, are pending approval in Parliament since September 2009.

According to the draft report, Romania has made little progress in reforming its justice sector and jurisprudence in the anticorruption field has remained inconsistent and insufficient.

The EC recommends the country to speed up the adoption of its procedural codes and prepare the measures and legislation needed to implement them.