Over 200 magistrates protested the changes brought to the justice laws during the evening of September 16, in front of the Court of Appeal in Bucharest.

They also expressed support for the general prosecutor, Augustin Lazăr, whose activity is currently evaluated by the justice minister.

The protesters held up signs reading “Respect the notification of the Venice Commission”, “Present for evaluation”, or “Independent justice.”

This is the third protest of the magistrates in less than nine months. The first protest took place at the end of last year and was a silent one. A second one happened in May of this year, when judges and prosecutors protested over the changes brought to the Criminal Laws, the justice laws and against the repeated attacks of politicians against the magistrates.

The protest occasioned an exchange between the justice minister and the general prosecutor, after the latter sent a message, during the protest, speaking of the ability of magistrates in Romania to resist “pressures and outside influences.”

“The young magistracy in Romania reached the maturity and professionalism allowing it to withstand pressures and exterior influences, proving extremely responsible in defending the independence of the judicial institution at European standards,” Lazăr said, quoted by G4media.ro.

He also said that “the independence of judges and prosecutors is not a privilege or a personal prerogative but a necessity to make sure that justice, as one of the state powers, through its institutions, is capable of fulfilling its role of maintaining the balance of powers and the fairness of the relationship between the state and the citizens.”

Tudorel Toader, the justice minister, reacted to the general prosecutor’s statement by arguing he is mistaken when saying that justice is responsible for maintain the balance of powers, News.ro reported. Toader argued that the Constitutional Court (CCR) is the institution responsible for this.

The minister also said that “major deficiencies in the functioning of the judicial system are surfacing” currently. He argued that “people start to see that the justice of 2018 in a European country is not the justice that guarantees and defends the fundamental rights and liberties of citizens.”

In response to Toader’s statement, the general prosecutor said the minister was misinterpreting his message by “taking out of context a few words in order to be able to formulate his accusation.” Lazăr explained that the principles he outlined are to be found in the Rome Charter.

Over 900 Romanian magistrates sign resolution for “defending rule of law”

Romanian president signals new criminal code dangers to Venice Commission representatives

Venice Commission warns on justice reform effects in Romania

(Photo: Cristi Danilet on Facebook)

editor@romania-insider.com