JusMin: PG's assessment to be done within 30 days; Public Prosecution Service, strayed from constitutional role

Justice Minister Tudorel Toader announced on Monday that he will be carrying out the assessment of Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar's activity, within 30 days' time, specifying that he made this decision as he noticed that in time, the Public Prosecution Service "has gradually strayed from the constitutional role it has." 

"The decision to kick off the assessment procedure of the Prosecutor General (...) did not come out of the blue, nor circumstantially. I have noticed in time (...) how the Public Prosecution Service has gradually strayed from the constitutional role it has. I have taken note of how the activity of the Public Prosecution Service has progressively turned away from the role of guaranteeing the citizens' rights and freedoms. (...) I will carry out the assessment within 30 days, I will publicly present the results. I couldn't say right now that they will be negative or positive, but just as before, I will conduct a scanning of the management activity carried out by the Prosecutor General and I will draw a conclusion," Tudorel Toader stated. 

According to the Justice Minister, the assessment criteria of the prosecutor general are "those from the law." 

Toader reminded that he announced a long time ago that such assessments would be carried out. 

"When was I stating that a time must come for everyone to be assessed? A long time ago (...) Certainly, I will also be assessed at some point. (...) I am only following through with what I was saying back then, not what he [PG Augustin Lazar, e.n.] is saying today," Tudorel Toader affirmed when asked how he comments on Augustin Lazar's statements who suggested that the political might have influenced the decision to have him assessed. 

Moreover, asked whether an assessment of the Judicial Inspection by the Justice Ministry is required, Toader replied: "We are talking about this assessment for the time being, we will take it step by step." 

The Justice Minister participated on Monday in the Annual reunion of the Romanian Diplomatic Corps, taking place these days in Bucharest.