Tariceanu after hearing by Judiciary Committee: Prosecutors intend to intimidate me

Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, said on Tuesday that the “so-called approach” of the prosecutors, materialised in a report submitted to Parliament on his alleged corruption offences is designed to intimidate him, adding that he does not abandon the fight he started “for fair justice.” He said that he is not intimidated by the move. “The first thing I want to emphasise is that this so-called approach of the prosecutors, materialised in a report sent to Parliament for alleged corruption deeds, has a well-defined purpose, namely to intimidate me and those who want to follow me in this battle that I launched four years ago to expose the excesses and serious abuses that took place in the Romanian justice system (…) Such things do not intimidate me; I am not abandoning the fight that I started and I will carry on for a fair justice based on law and law alone. Secondly, I will continue the steps I have taken together with my colleagues for judiciary reform. The laws on the organisation of justice must be finalised, the necessary corrections must be made – including of course to the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure – in such a way so that we can no longer allow justice or prosecutors’ action to be discretionary action that limit or affect the rights of Romania’s citizens. After all, we have to ask a natural question: is it normal for the government to pay for these serious mistakes committed in Romania in the field of justice? ” Tariceanu said after testifying before the Judiciary committee. He added that prosecutors’ action “has a perverse effect because it shows distrust in institutions, which is the worst thing.” Tariceanu’s testimony lasted about an hour. On November 7, the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) asked the Senate to approve the commencement of Tariceanu’s criminal prosecution. Prosecutors argue that in 2007-2008, during the time he was Romania’s prime minister, he indirectly received 800,000 US dollars’ worth of material gains from an Austrian company. The Senate’s Standing Bureau distributed to the Judiicary Committee two weeks ago the DNA request and the file drawn on Tariceanu. Committee chairman Robert Cazanciuc announced that next Tuesday the committee will cast a vote on the request for starting the Taricaeanu’s prosecution by DNA, expected to forward its report to the Standing Bureau immediately after the debate.

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