The head of state argues that the new statute of MPs is in conflict with the European Commission’s recommendations stated in its latest report on the country’s progress under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM).
Basescu requested the reexamination of issues concerning incompatibility, conflict of interests and immunity, and proposed that the normative act be put up for public debate.
Romania’s Parliament adopted the new statute of lawmakers on January 22. One of the amendments protects lawmakers who are declared incompatible with public office by the National Interiority Agency. It allows lawmakers to remain in office despite incompatibility charges and will lose their seats only after a final verdict is issued by a court of law.
The EC’s CVM report published last week states that “those in positions of power must demonstrate high standards of integrity. In addition, where judicial authorities find that this is not the case, failure to respond to judicial decisions also implies a lack of respect for the rule of law. In its July report, the Commission was concerned that both the government and the Parliament did not fully respect this principle,” reads the document.
“The Commission’s recommendations also underline the responsibility of ministers and parliamentarians to set an example in terms of respect for integrity. Those in office should set the standard – for example, stepping down when there is an integrity report from the National Integrity Agency. Clearer rules are needed for members of Parliament facing integrity or corruption allegations,” Mark Gray, the spokesperson of the European Commission, said last week.
“The Commission is also calling for deadlines to be applied in the new procedures for lifting immunities in cases of search, arrest or detention of parliamentarians and for a full justification in cases where immunity is not lifted,” he added.