CCR postpones for Oct 22 ruling on request to settle Senate-Prosecutor's Office legal conflict

The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) postponed for Tuesday, October 22, the ruling on the request for settling a legal conflict between the Senate and the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, lodged by the interim speaker of the legislative forum, Robert Cazanciuc, after the General Prosecutor's Office opened an abuse of office case against Calin Popescu-Tariceanu.

The notification was on the CCR's agenda several times, and on Tuesday the constitutional judges decided again to postpone the ruling.

At the beginning of this year, the former speaker of the Senate, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, was informed by the General Prosecutor's Office that he has the capacity of a suspect for committing the crime of abuse of office, the investigation being extended later for the crime of aiding and abetting in the usurpation of official qualities.

The case was opened after MP Cristian Marciu remained a member of the Senate, given that there was a final decision of the High Court of Cassation and Justice in 2015 according to which he violated the law of incompatibilities.

Calin Popescu-Tariceanu is accused by prosecutors of failing to implement a final court decision as speaker of the Senate.

On May 29, Robert Cazanciuc notified the Constitutional Court regarding the finding and settlement of a legal conflict of a constitutional nature between the Senate, on the one hand, and the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, on the other hand, manifested "by direct and unconstitutional interference of a structure of the Public Ministry in the activity of the Parliament."