February 20 (SeeNews) - Romania's Social Democrat government said it has issued an emergency decree changing justice laws - a move that critics see as a blow against the independence of the judiciary.
"I want an independent judicial system, you don't issue laws for a certain person in mind and I believe that politics should not influence justice. I believe the rights of citizens must be respected. I can assure you that none of the bills we changed today by decree is breaking the aforementioned principles," prime minister Viorica Dancila said in a televised statement broadcast by local TV station Digi 24 on Tuesday evening.
One of the most controversial changes stipulates that high-level prosecuting units cannot be managed by an interim for longer than 45 days. The change targets the deadlock at Romania's anti-corruption agency DNA, which has been led by an interim for several months following the dismissal of Laura Condruta Kovesi.
President Klaus Iohannis has repeatedly refused to appoint Adina Florea as head of DNA, saying the law prohibits the appointment in key positions of magistrates who were part of the intelligence services or who might have personal interests influencing their decisions and activity.
The decree issued on Tuesday also removes the prosecutor general's control over the special prosecuting unit tasked with investigating the ousted DNA head Kovesi. The investigation started at the same time when she was nominated for the position of chief of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Since the nomination of Kovesi was announced, Romanian justice minister Tudorel Toader has said he would do everything legally possible to prevent her from getting the job.
The third change to legislation that the emergency decree crafted by Toader provided is the start of an internal selection for three candidates for the EPPO job which should be completed by end-March. The results of the selection process will be sent to Brussels, Toader said in a televised statement on Tuesday evening.
Further criticism is expected from Brussels after European Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said during a joint news conference with Romania's minister delegate for European affairs George Ciamba that he was not informed about the emergency decree.
President Klaus Iohannis criticized the decree in a social media post, saying it tightens political influence over the judiciary.
"Romania cannot be handed over to those who want to politically control justice," Iohannis said.