Justice Minister Avoids To Answer Questions On Possible Amnesty Emergency Decree

While taking part in ceremonies during a symbolic government meeting in Alba Iulia, marking the country’s Great Union Centennial, Toader twice denied to give a specific answer to journalists on the matter.

The minister initially said that he does not wish to talk judicial matters due to solemn nature of the event, and later only said that his previous answers on the matters remain valid.

Previously, the minister denied several times that he was requested to draft an emergency decree regarding amnesty and pardoning, or that such an initiative would be in work at the government.

Rumors surfaced recently say that the country’s ruling Social Democrat Party, and especially its leader Liviu Dragnea, is pushing to have a decree on amnesty and pardoning passed until the end of the year.

The decree was reportedly sought after by ruling coalition leaders ever since their 2016 parliamentary election victory. A project which included partial amnesty and pardoning was withdrawn shortly after it was passed in 2017, following the largest street protests in the country’s post-communist era.