PSD's Romascanu on ECHR decision: It sanctions a procedure related to rights, freedoms, not PSD

PSD's (Social Democratic Party) spokesman Lucian Romascanu on Tuesday stated that the ECHR decision regarding Laura Codruta Kovesi sanctions a procedure that has to do with rights and liberties, and PSD "bears no blame" in this case.

"The first comment that we want to make is the one that we usually make, namely that we do not comment on the decision of any court, all the more of the European Court of Human Rights. Any decision of a court should be applied," Romascanu told AGERPRES.

He added that it came as no surprise the fact that Prime Minister Ludovic Orban blamed PSD for Romania's condemnation by the ECHR.

"Mr Orban's accusation came as no surprise for us because we all know that both Mr Orban and Mr Iohannis blame PSD for everything every time they hold a public statement. PSD bears no blame in this. The European Court did not find a deviation on the merits, but only a procedure, and what it actually says is that Mrs Kovesi did not have the possibility to challenge her dismissal because she couldn't challenge the report of the Minister with the proposal addressed to the President to dismiss her. This means that the ECHR decision actually sanctions a procedure that has to do with rights and liberties and it doesn't have the effect of a remedy, meaning that it does not restore Mrs Kovesi as head of the DNA. It is possible we have here a problem of a constitutional nature, as there is no way to challenge such decision, which means that we need to intervene and remedy this. But, I repeat, first of all, the decision of the ECHR must be observed, and we need to understand that this decision refers to a procedure and not the merits," said Romascanu.

PSD's spokesperson said the judges from the Constitutional Court and the experts must find a solution to this problem of a constitutional nature so that there will be no future cases of the same type.

"PSD should be perceived as an important opposition party and it should be invited to dialogue in relation to everything that affects the lives of Romanians, instead of being the eternal culprit, every time that something bad happens, including when it's the own doing of the Government or PM Orban," concluded Romascanu.

On Tuesday, Laura Codruta Kovesi won at the ECHR the trial by which she challenged the decision to remove her from office as chief prosecutor of the DNA, according to a press release of the Strasbourg-based institution.

According to the ECHR, Romania violated the rights of the chief prosecutors of the DNA by dismissing her before the end of her term.

The PNL (National Liberal Party) head PM Ludovic Orban said that the ECHR decision in Laura Codruta Kovesi's case compromises CCR (Constitutional Court of Romania) and that a reanalysis is needed of the manner in which the Constitutional Court functions. He said that "PSD holds the blame for the condemnation of Romania by the ECHR."