Traian Basescu reacts to Constitutional Court ruling on Kovesi case: Court takes justice back to 2004

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) has taken justice back to 2004, wiping out 14 years of progress in the strengthening of justice independence, Traian Basescu, Senator and Chairman of the People's Movement Party (PMP) said on Wednesday, in a reaction to the Court ruling in the case of anti-corruption head Laura Codruta Kovesi.

"Dragnea and Tariceanu have finally succeeded in making the Social Liberal Union's dream come true: 'We don't truly have the power until we control justice'. In the conflict opposing Kovesi to JusMin Tudorel Toader the Constitutional Court has adopted a ruling of rare viciousness. Basically, as of today the major prosecution offices are at the orders of the political government, through the Justice Minister. The CCR has taken justice back to 2004 when decisions on the fate of criminal cases were taken at the PSD seat by Mrs. Stanoiu, together with Adrian Nastase, Victor Viorel Ponta, Serban Mihailescu aka Michi Greasehand, Marian Oprisan and other socialist politicians of their like," Basescu wrote on Facebook, listing some of the party heavyweights of that time. "The CCR has virtually wiped out 14 years of progress in strengthening justice independence," Basescu remarked.

The PMP leader went on to say that he doesn't claim that independent justice "has not committed abuses, harassed and sentenced innocent people," but "these must be corrected by law, by implementing into law the CCR decisions and EU directives, or through action by the Superior Council of the Magistrates and the Judicial Inspection, but in no case by placing the prosecutor's offices under political control."

The Constitutional Court of Romania has found a conflict between powers in the case of the President's rejecting the removal from office of the head of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) Laura Codruta Kovesi. The President shall issue the decree to remove the DNA chief prosecutor from office, as a constitutional conflict was found, generated by the head of state's refusal to follow through with the dismissal proposal, the CCR said in a release.