Romanian liberal leader Ludovic Orban expressed severe criticism against the reformist (USR-PLUS) minister of justice Stelian Ion, who sent the new justice laws to the magistrates' body CSM without the ruling coalition's consent and claimed to have informed the Venice Commission, "although he did not," G4media.ro reported.

The leading body of the National Liberal Party (PNL) accused more than procedural issues related to the new justice laws and the initiative of the junior ruling partner USR-PLUS. Head of the justice committee in the Senate, Iulia Scantei, claimed that the draft laws include "legislative solutions with negative impact."

In his turn, minister Stelian Ion played down the idea of a conflict with the senior ruling Liberal Party, but he mentioned an agreement reached within the Government instead of the ruling coalition, according to News.ro.

The reformist minister of justice may have indeed secured support from the Liberal prime minister Florin Citu - who is emerging as the rival of Ludovic Orban as the leader of the Liberal Party. This may explain the reformist minister's confidence, despite the rising criticism expressed by the head of the Chamber of Deputies, the formal Liberal leader Orban.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Gov.ro)