Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis promulgated on November 15 the three Justice Laws previously endorsed by the ruling majority in Parliament and cleared by the Constitutional Court.

The bills are expected to contribute to the termination of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism and eventually to the country’s Schengen membership, representatives of the ruling coalition argue.

However, the opposition pointed to a number of controversial provisions and requested the ruling alliance and President Iohannis to wait for an opinion of the Venice Commission.

The main opposition party, USR, argues that the new laws restrict the independence of the magistrates. The appointment of the head prosecutor is politicised, and the chief prosecutor is given excessive power over the activity of his subordinates: he is entitled to close any file and initiate disciplinary investigations, USR argues.

Likewise, Didier Reynders, the European Commissioner for Justice, requested on September 22 that the Romanian authorities wait for the opinion of the Venice Commission before adopting justice laws.

andrei@romania-insider.com

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