President: Ruling Party's Attempt to Use the Plight of Former Political Detainees is Pathetic

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis accused the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) of trying to use the plight of two communist era political detainees for its own goals, after it included the latter in a delegation which attended talks at the Presidential Palace on Friday.

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The head of state said that he heard two “shattering” from the former detainees, but said that the party’s attempt to used their plight was “pathetic”.

“Two people, former political detainees, were part of the social-democrat delegation. I listened to them. I heard two shattering life stories. I can reiterate that communist torturers must be held accountable and suffer the consequences of the law for their acts. But PSD’s attempt to use their plight to legitimate its assault on the judiciary is outright pathetic. I can’t imagine that anyone who was mistreated in the communist era wants anything else than a fair justice system,” said Iohannis.

PSD sent a delegation which included two former communist era political detainees, Ioan Muntean and Marin Iancu to attend talks on judicial issues called by President Klaus Iohannis, amid a scandal regarding General Prosecutor Augustin Lazar’s activity during the former regime. The two accuse the latter of denying them parole hearings at the time.

Nicolicea said that the two former communist inmates suggested two questions for the upcoming referendum called by the president, in which they referred to Augustin Lazar as a “torturer”.

However, the president denied that the two detainees suggested him questions for the referendum, during an informal discussion with the press following the meeting.

The general prosecutor is in the midst of a scandal regarding his activity as a prosecutor in the 1980s, after documents surfaced showing that he signed off to refuse the release of political detainee Iulius Filip on parole twice. Lazar denied the accusations of collaborating with the former regime, arguing that he applied legal regulations in effect at the time.

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