Venice Commission delegation requests clarifications on Constitutional Court's complaint of being target of 'virulent attacks'

During a meeting with magistrates of the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) the visiting delegation of the Venice Commission asked for clarifications regarding the circumstances that prompted CCR to write to several European institutions accusing being subjected to pressure.

According to a CCR release, Constitutional Court President Valer Dorneanu had on Monday a working meeting with the delegation of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission), made up of Director and Secretary of the Venice Commission Thomas Markert, Hanna Suchocka - Commission Honorary President, Artemiza Chisca - head of the Commission's Democratic Institutions and Fundamental Rights Division, Commission member Kaarlo Tuori (Finland), Nicolae Esanu - Commission substitute member (Republic of Moldova), Jean-Claude Scholsem - Commission substitute member (Belgium).

Attending the meeting on behalf of the Constitutional Court were judges Mona-Maria Pivniceru, Simona-Maya Teodoroiu, Petre Lazaroiu and Daniel Marius Morar, as well as assistant magistrate in chief and Director of the President's Office Claudia Margareta Krupenschi, and Senia Mihaela Constantinescu and Benke Károly - head assistant magistrates.

"Talks during the meeting mainly tackled constitutional aspects raised during the legislative process of developing the laws amending and complementing Law No. 303/2004 on the magistrates' statutes, Law No. 304/2004 on judicial organization and Law No. 317/2004 on the Superior Council of Magistracy," the release said.

The Venice Commission delegation also asked for clarifications about the circumstances that prompted the Constitutional Court to write to the Venice Commission, the Secretary general of the Council of Europe and the President of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts about pressure being put on the constitutional watchdog and public calls to disregard the CCR rulings.