Romanian Legal Code Enactment Has Become Political Dispute – Justice Min

Predoiu said the talks on the development and adoption of the four legal codes has become a political matter, and the transfer of talks from legal specialists to a political approach, under the pressure of ratings, has given the issue a “tabloid” aspect.

The minister said that after the meeting at the presidential palace, in February, where there were talks on the conditions to be met under European Commission scrutiny, the four codes have become subject for "a political dispute".

"The topic of the codes should be approached without passions and at a safe distance from the political context of the moment," Predoiu said.

He rejected the accusations formulated by some of the politicians and by civil society, according to which the codes have not been subject to adequate public debate.

"I do not share the view that the Government needs to inform each particular citizen regarding the approved legislative acts. I know that the Ministry of Justice has consulted all those who needed to be consulted, magistrates, the academic environment, professionals, civil society, through roundtable discussions and conferences organized in 2008, as well as all those who wished to gain information and to be consulted. It is unfair to say the Ministry of Justice has not consulted others," Predoiu said.

The minister also commented statements made by several Members of Parliament, who said the draft codes developed by the special subcommittees within the Parliament are better than the propositions forwarded by the ministry.

He said the axis of the Criminal and Civil Codes developed by the Parliament, comes from the Ministry of Justice.

The minister added he initiated the necessary steps for an impact study, in partnership with the World Bank, but such a study would have been “illogical” for laws that had not yet entered the final stages of enactment.

The Romanian government will take responsibility in Parliament for the Criminal and Civil Codes at the beginning of June, democrat liberal vice-president Gheorghe Flutur said Monday after a governing coalition meeting.

Flutur said Victor Ponta and Daniel Buda, coordinators of the special parliamentary commissions for the two codes were mandated to complete in two weeks all necessary consultations and debates on the acts, and the government will take responsibility for them at the beginning of June.

Flutur added there is also a calendar for the adoption of the Criminal Procedure and Civil Procedure Codes, which he hopes will be completed by the end of June. The calendar will be presented by Ponta and Buda in a press conference Monday or Tuesday.

Romanian president Traian Basescu organized a meeting in February 2009, at the presidential palace, with all decision makers in Justice and with the representatives of the political class, with the European Commission’s winter report in the backdrop. The meeting generated a public dispute on the manner and moment for the enactment of the legal codes.

 

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