Constitutional Court Postpones Ruling on Supreme Court Corruption Panels for June 5

The court is now scheduled to debate and possibly issue a verdict on the matter in its June 5 meeting.

Four of the court’s nine judges requested the postponement in order to further review and document the challenge, judicial sources told MEDIAFAX.

The two concerned parties presented their stances during the court’s April 11 meeting.

Lower Chamber Deputy Chairman Florin Iordache, who represented the Parliament after he filed the judicial conflict notification, argued that the Supreme Court formed its three-judge panels for corruption cases without respecting legal requirements, as it did not appoint judge panels specialized on corruption offences.

In response, Supreme Court Chairman Cristina Tarcea said that the law quoted by Iordache, 78/2000, does not apply to the formation of her court’s judge panels, which are regulated by a different law, 92/1992.

She also challenged Iordache’s right to file for a judicial conflict, stating that a prior Constitutional Court decision makes that right exclusive for a Parliament chamber chairman, with no possibility to delegate it.

Lower Chamber Chairman Liviu Dragnea is directly concerned with the potential outcome, as he received two sentences for corruption offences from Supreme Court three-judge panels in the past. He temporarily delegated his powers to Iordache at the end of March, citing health problems, allowing the former justice minister to file the constitutional challenge.

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