JusMin Predoiu proposes Gov't to ask Venice Commission to enforce statutory provisions in Toader's case

Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu mentioned on Thursday that he submitted a proposal to the Executive in order to ask the Venice Commission to enforce the statutory provisions in the case of Tudorel Toader, adding that it is a "more special procedure."

"I have indeed submitted the proposal to ask the Commission to enforce the statutory provisions, there is a more special procedure there. Unfortunately, it is an unprecedented case and a first, the reasoning being that, taking into account the effects of the ECHR [European court of Human Rights] ruling, it calls into question the credibility of the Romanian Government's commitment to the independence of prosecutors," Catalin Predoiu said within the Government meeting on Thursday.

The Prime Minister added: "Here it is even more serious. Think that, basically, the legal conflict of a constitutional nature has resulted in a decision that violates the European Convention on Human Rights, the initiator of this action was the Minister of Justice."

On Wednesday, Ludovic Orban claimed that former Justice Minister Tudorel Toader is "a disgrace to Romania" and can no longer represent our country to the Venice Commission.

"Tudorel Toader is a disgrace to Romania and I do not think that Romania can still be represented in the Venice Commission by an exponent of Dragnea's aggression against the independence of the Judiciary, against the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, such as Tudorel Toader," Orban told a press conference at the Military Technical Academy.

He brought to mind that the Justice Minister has started the procedure through which the Government will ask that Tudorel Toader's mandate within the Venice Commission be terminated, after the ECHR ruling, "which was in favour of Laura Codruta Kovesi against the Constitutional Court decision."