Romania's PM in row over bid to 'dismantle' top court

Wednesday 4 July 2012

Romania's Constitutional Court has accused Prime Minister Victor Ponta and his party of trying to dismantle the court and has notified European authorities of threats to its independence.

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Mr Ponta, who is facing calls to resign over plagiarism charges, ignored a court ruling last week that his opponent, President Traian Basescu, was entitled to represent Romania at a European Council meeting in Brussels.

Ponta said he was following a ruling in parliament which questioned the court's independence and said it was controlled by Basescu. His leftist Social-Liberal Union (USL) party threatened to replace some judges."All the recent attacks are the equivalent of dismantling the constitutional court in its current membership," the court said."We are asking parliament and the president to take actions against the planned measures which are blatantly against the constitution, democratic norms and principles of rule of law."Analysts say the USL's actions are threatening the rule of law and separation of powers. The spat has paralysed decision-making and delayed reforms under an IMF-led aid deal.The Constitutional Court has contacted the European Commission for Democracy through Law, the Council of Europe's advisory body, the Conference of European Constitutional Courts and other European institutions.

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Romania's PM in row over bid to 'dismantle' top court

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