PNL: Any administrative measure must be transparent and free from any appearance of arbitrariness

The National Liberal Party (PNL) respects the justice system but considers the debate regarding the impartiality of the administrative measures adopted in the case of the PNL Congress decision to be legitimate, Liberal representatives stated on Thursday, following reactions from the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) and the Bucharest Tribunal."The National Liberal Party respects the independence of the judiciary, court rulings, and the right of each court to organize its operations in accordance with the law. Precisely for this reason, we believe that any administrative measure regarding the organization of judicial activity must be not only lawful but also transparent and free from any appearance of arbitrariness. The public statements issued today by the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Bucharest Tribunal do not address the legitimate questions raised in the public sphere regarding the formation, on June 23, 2026, of specialized panels for cases concerning political parties," reads a statement.According to the cited source, there are two objective aspects justifying the request for additional explanations."First of all, for over two decades?from 2004 to the present?the very small number of cases involving political parties did not necessitate the establishment of such specialized panels. The fact that this need arises precisely now naturally raises questions that deserve a clear answer. Secondly, these panels were constituted at the exact moment the cases filed by challengers within the PNL were registered, without the specific criteria used to designate the presiding judges being disclosed to the public," the statement notes.At the same time, the PNL adds, international standards developed by the OSCE and the Venice Commission enshrine the principle of the autonomy of political parties as private associations."This demonstrates that internal organization, the interpretation of its own statutes, the election of leadership, and the resolution of internal conflicts must primarily be matters for the party itself, while state intervention must be limited and proportionate, occurring only after internal dispute resolution mechanisms have been exhausted. Precisely for this reason?and all the more so in a case concerning the internal functioning of a political party?any exceptional administrative measure regarding the formation of specialized panels must be accompanied by clear and transparent explanations. Such transparency is essential for strengthening public confidence in the impartiality of the judicial process," the PNL notes.The PNL does not contest the courts' right to adopt administrative measures, nor does it call into question the independence of judges, the cited source adds."What we are calling for is full transparency regarding the procedure followed and the criteria underpinning these administrative decisions, so that any suspicion concerning the impartiality of the organization of judicial activities may be dispelled. In a state governed by the rule of law, judicial independence and public confidence in the judiciary's impartiality are strengthened through transparency and clear explanations, not by discouraging legitimate questions. The National Liberal Party will continue to exercise all its procedural rights exclusively through the means provided for by law and the Constitution," the cited source further states.On Wednesday, the Bucharest Tribunal suspended the implementation and effects of the decision made by the PNL's Extraordinary National Council on June 19 regarding the convocation of the party's Extraordinary Congress on June 21. The challenge was filed by eighteen Liberals from the Vestea faction.Following the court's decision, the PNL issued a statement referring to the composition of the panels."Suddenly, on June 23, 2026?just two days after the PNL Extraordinary Congress?the Bucharest Tribunal established six specialized panels to hear cases concerning political parties. Thus, only six judges out of the more than 100 at the Bucharest Tribunal were directly appointed by the court's president, and only they are authorized to hear such cases," the Liberals pointed out.At the same time, the PNL points out that this is an "unprecedented decision that bypasses the very law on judicial organization, according to which any newly established section requires the approval of the CSM."In response, the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) stated on Thursday that, in a constitutional democracy, legal disputes are adjudicated in the courts, not in the public arena."Following the National Liberal Party's press release regarding the rulings issued by the Bucharest Tribunal and the Ilfov Tribunal in disputes concerning the National Liberal Party Congress, the Superior Council of Magistracy denounces the unprecedented escalation of public discourse directed against the courts and reaffirms that judicial independence is one of the foundations of the democratic constitutional order," states a press release from the CSM.