Supreme Court's Tarcea: Judges in this country who observe law at any risk

President of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ) Cristina Tarcea stated on Tuesday that the law is observed in the Supreme Court, adding that "there are judges in this country who observe the law at any risk." 

Present on Tuesday at ICCJ, Tarcea was asked by journalists how she comments on Social Democratic Party (PSD, major at rule, e.n.) leader Liviu Dragnea's affirmation according to which the Supreme Court has not observed the law when appointing the members of the bench in charge with his case. 

"Allow me to refrain from making any kind of comment. You have noticed I refrain myself from discussing pending cases. This is a case pending before a court of law. What everybody needs to know is that the Supreme Court observes the law and there are judges in this country who observe the law at any risk," Cristina Tarcea said. 

The head of the Supreme Court explained that Law 207/2018 does not have transitional provisions requiring for the year 2018 the drawing of lots of a panel of five judges based on this law, which will be enforced as of January 2019. 

"According to the provisions of Article 32, paragraph (1) as amended by law 207, the panels of five judges are drawn by lot at the beginning of each year. Law 207 of 2018 does not have any transitional provision, as it has for other situations, in which to regulate the duty to draw lots new panels for the year 2018 and to regulate the situation of the five-judge pane, already in place in 2018. Consequently, law 207 is indisputably in force. The Supreme Court has been applying it since July 2018, but the immediate enforcement of the law entails the observance of the obligations that the law imposes with regard to the deadline, by which time that obligation must be fulfilled. Or, the law is indisputable and unequivocal, at the beginning of every year," Tarcea specified. 

PSD Chair Liviu Dragnea stated on Sunday evening at private TV broadcaster Antena 3 that some want him "put in jail" by an illegally formed ICCJ panel. 

"They want to put me in jail with a panel formed in violation of the law. The law says that the panel presidents are randomly assigned. ICCJ adopted a decision through which the law comes into force as of 1 January 2019. Why? So that they can illegally assign two panels. We will certainly challenge, but still with them," Dragnea then said.