European Commission president José Manuel Barroso is again “deeply concerned” over Romania. In a letter sent to PM Victor Ponta at the end of last week, the EC president echoed concerns raised by the Venice Commission.

There is a sense of déjà vu: yet again Romania's Constitutional Court sought help from the Venice Commission, for the second time in a few months its president demanded that Romania's politicians respect the rule of law and again the message was reiterated by EC president Barroso.

In the letter Barroso demands that Romania's government respects the independence of the Constitutional Court as it deliberates the validity of the referendum and that the so called '11 commandments' the EC gave to Romania are followed.

“It is now crucial that Romanian Government responds without undue delay to the requests of the Constitutional Court as regards the transmission of the relevant electoral lists, so that the Court may issue its final decision on the referendum as soon as possible,” writes Barroso.

As well as demanding that the Romanian Government provides the Constitutional Court with the requested information and allows it to reach an independent decision, the letter also refers to the allegations of threats against the Court's members. Reports have surfaced in the media of Constitutional Court judges receiving death threats, however, the EC president's letter makes no reference to the type of threat made, simply saying “allegations of pressure and intimidation of judges.”

José Manuel Barroso appeals to “all political forces in Romania, in government and in opposition, to act with responsibility and restraint and to set their focus very firmly on the urgent need to restore stability.” He also says that the EC will monitor the situation in Romania “very closely” and that particular attention will be paid to the referendum and the ensuing political fallout in the planned cooperation and verification mechanism report, due before the end of the year.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com

photo source: europa.eu