Bucharest: ROMANIA’S president urged the government yesterday to scrap draft decrees pardoning thousands of prisoners and decriminalising some graft offences, joining other critics who accuse it of undermining an anti-corruption drive.
According to the drafts, the government intends — among other changes — to decriminalise abuse of power actions causing financial damage of less than 200,000 lei ($47,500), an offence the leader of ruling Social Democrat party is accused of inciting a third party to commit.
Critics including the prosecutor general, the supreme court, civil rights groups and diplomats have expressed concern about the proposed decrees, as well as a lack of transparency and public debate over their implementation.
“The judiciary’s most authorised voices are saying the emergency decree drafts ...are null and void (and) unacceptable,” President Klaus Iohannis said on his Facebook page.
“These are sufficient arguments to urge the government to withdraw these emergency decrees.”
Romania’s president holds a largely ceremonial role, but Iohannis’ comments will increase pressure for a rethink by the leftist government.
Romanian prosecutors have investigated lawmakers, ministers, mayors, magistrates and businessmen in recent years, in a crackdown that has exposed widespread graft and won praise from Brussels.
