Romanian president Klaus Iohannis was fined RON 2,000 (EUR 430) by the National Council for Combatting Discrimination (CNCD) for using the term “penali”, which translates as “criminally liable”, in his statements related to the ruling coalition’s initiatives to change the justice laws and to dismiss the chief anticorruption prosecutor.

Iohannis referred to politicians of the ruling coalition as “niste penali” (some criminally liable people) whose goal was to discredit the fight against corruption and to save themselves by using their positions. The CNCD decided that the president’s statements were discriminating and breached the right to dignity of people who have been prosecuted or sent to court but haven’t been convicted yet, local Mediafax reported.

The president said the decision was a political one and that he would challenge it in court.

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editor@romania-insider.com