Image: Romania's President Traian Basescu (R) and the head of the EC Delegation to Romania, Jonathan Scheele (L) shake hand during the Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM) meeting.As EU urges Romania to resolutely fight top-level corruption, President Traian Basescu yesterday criticized judges for their poor public image and advised them to act according to the present legal framework and not give in to any political and economic pressure.
President Traian Basescu, Justice Minister Monica Macovei and the head of the EC Delegation to Romania, Jonathan Scheele, yesterday called on magistrates to help the justice system improve its image by turning the leading magistrates' body into a example of professional ethics and by rejecting any interference in the judiciary.
To date, political party leaders cannot decide anymore who and how is to lead the judicial institutions, Basescu said yesterday in his speech at the meeting at which members of the Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM) presented their activity report for 2005.
"Any step back to those times means you are damaging the justice system," he said, concluding that judges will have independence as long as they know how to keep it. "None of you can say 'I received a call from the president of Romania on a certain case.' (...) I am asking you to reject any interference in the justice system and to make decisions favorable to justice, not to yourselves," said Basescu, who led the CSM meeting, as the Constitution stipulates.
"I only ask you to manage the independence you have wisely earned already," was the president's message to the CSM's members.
The head of the European Commission's Delegation in Romania, Jonathan Scheele, said that the main task is to assure standards in the justice system which will allow Romania to fulfill its accession commitments. "Justice reform was qualified by the European Commission as being adequate, in October 2005. Now it is the responsibility of the system itself to apply the laws fairly, correctly and unitarily to a reasonable deadline, so citizens regain their confidence in the law's power," Scheele told CSM magistrates, urging them to transform the institution into a model of professional ethics, as it is responsible for mediating the dialogue between the justice system and the other state authorities. The Council must change the public's unfavorable perception of the justice system, Scheele said. "I express my belief that the new leading team of the CSM will continue efforts for reform within the institution and the whole judicial system," Scheele said.
The Minister of Justice, Monica Macovei said in her speech at the CSM meeting that the institution's "main role should be to improve its image from the inside," adding that good activity will lead to a better image.
Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu did not attend the CSM meeting, although he had been invited. While the meeting was in process Tariceanu held a meeting with ministers from the economic sectors and with the National Bank's governor, Mugur Isarescu, in order to debate projects for the next two years.
Tariceanu said he had received the invitation from the CSM too late, on Tuesday evening.
On Monday, Tariceanu accused the CSM and prosecutors' office of lack of efficiency and said their attitude towards high level corruption cases could have significant political consequences and might delay Romania's accession to the European Union.
However, Tariceanu yesterday said his intention was not to put the CSM up against the wall. "Romania is now up against the wall because the justice system is incapable of eliminating corruption," Tariceanu said.
Romania Report, according to Bucharest Daily News
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