(Initially published in www. romania-report.ro -- Mar 14, 2006)
The vice-president of the European Commission (EC) and European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, Franco Frattini, on visit to Bucharest yesterday, said EC Report in May will be favourable to Romania and that he was happy with the country’s Govt in the fields under his competence as of the accession process to the EU.
He praised Justice Minister Macovei but criticised MPs for trying to get immunity against corruption indictments.
In a joint press conference with Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu, at Victoria Palace, Frattini outlined that “for now we can no longer talk about the so-called little red flags” but instead we are able to speak about Govt in Bucharest carrying on its strong activity in order to fulfil the pledges made in the negotiation process with the European Commission.
The vice president of the European Commission emphasised the progress Bucharest has made in justice and internal affairs sectors, mainly due to Ministers Monica Macovei and Vasile Blaga.
Franco Frattini said the positive results in borders security will be documented in the monitoring report of the European Commission, on May 17.
“Customs agents and police significantly improved activity,” the EC vice president explained, underlining the “tight, continuous and fruitful cooperation between the decision-makers of the European Executive and the colleagues in Romanian Ministries.”
Parliament blamed for anti-corruption gridlock
Frattini said, in an interview with a local daily, that “it would be a disaster for Romania” if Justice Minister Macovei failed to receive political support in fighting corruption and reforming the judiciary system. Speaking of recent negative votes in the Romanian Parliament – to reject a government ordinance establishing the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) and a prosecutors’ request to search the properties of House speaker Adrian Nastase –, Frattini said in the interview: “It would be totally insane to play with the future of the country, with its accession” to the EU. “Progress has been noted in the field of justice at the level of the working capacity of local tribunals and courts of appeals, and thanks to Monica Macovei’s efforts, courts will soon get high-tech equipment able to cope with their complex and intense activity,” said Frattini.
The European official said that, for now, the “National Anti-corruption Department is operating well, yet the negative voting by Romanian MPs of the DNA Ordinance represents a mistake.” However, Frattini stated he would not “interfere with the local Parliaments’ affairs,” as the legislative power is a state’s sovereignty prerogative.
“This is exactly why I emphasised that a major part of the future of this country is in the hands of MPs. Parliamentary, but also political support is needed for passing of the bills needed for accession in due time to the European Union,” Frattini said. He referred to the MPs attempt made at changing the rules in appointing and removing DNA members, asking for “these rules not to be changed but enforced.”
Speaking of the crackdown on corruption, Frattini has said that the Government and the EC have the common goal of improving the activity of judges and prosecutors and to enhance the magistrates’ independence. He also said that DNA could open further investigations in high-profile corruption cases, but only where the circumstances call for it and in very transparent fashion.
The EC vice president also talked with Premier Tariceanu and Minister Macovei about certain measures to accompany the anti-corruption fight, such as possible changes in the law regarding political parties funding.
Partnership cooperation
On the other hand, Frattini was keen to explain that after the country Report this May, partnership cooperation” would continue among the European and Romanian institutions with a view to the preparation for the “finishing straight” of Romania’s accession to the EU.
The progress made by the Government in Bucharest will continue being evaluated until the end of 2006, “yet the progress noted by the European experts that have come to Romania several times lately to examine the preparatory stage in various fields, makes us say we won’t talk of red flags in the May Report,” the European official said.
“It is very important to reach a decision in May and to confirm the decision in June. I am very optimistic, however,” the vice-president of the Executive in Brussels said.
President Traian Basescu met with Franco Frattini
The EC vice president also met yesterday with President Traian Basescu, who thanked Franco Frattini for his helpful cooperation with the Romanian state institutions.
The head of state underlined that the country’s target for now is to keep the current pace of reforms and to secure good functioning of state institutions.
Both President Basescu and the European official emphasised the need for a political consensual environment regarding the European integration.
Basescu said that his initiative of hosting monthly consultations with local parliamentary parties is aimed to improve political communication on topics of national interest.
In his turn, Franco Frattini has said that the EU keeps lending its support to Romania, so that the internal reform process is irreversible.
Romanian Social-Democrats in disarray
Losing their nerves while high-profile SocDems are indicted for corruption, alarmed by drastically dropping in opinion polls, and seeing now that EC officials praise the Govt, the Social-Democrat Party (PSD) in opposition seeks a way out.
Mircea Geoana, the current PSD boss, yesterday evening said former PM Adrian Nastase – recently accused in a bribery case – should consider withdrawing from his party leadership position and from the office of House Speaker as well.
Nastase instead is willing to set up an extraordinary PSD congress and accuses Geoana of conspiring behind-doors with centre-right political enemies.
Romania Report and sources
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