Criminal Code review: Amendments could harm the national security, President Basescu points
Publish date: 21-11-2007Romanian President Traian Basescu sent back to Parliament the draft law regarding amendments brought to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedures Code as they could block investigations and undermine the state's authority, after the issue spurred controversies.
The Parliament is attempting to subordinate the public interest to that of an alleged lawbreaker, Basescu said summarizing his decision to send the draft back to Parliament. The president underlined the amendments protect the rights of those put under investigation and limit the prerogatives of the judicial organs. Basescu pointed the effects could be very serious.
"Such measures can even affect the national security," Basescu said. The recent amendments include harsh punishments for those who disclose information without permission regarding criminal files, do not allow wiretapping before the official beginning of investigations and limit the investigation period to six months.
Basescu accused lawmakers of trying to protect their political clients by approving the changes. The changes were developed after a former agriculture minister was shown on the public television channel allegedly taking bribe. The footage was said to be part of an on-going investigation against the minister. The media case built against him forced the official to leave his post. However, politicians reacted fiercely against the media, accusing journalists of using evidence from a judicial case and decided to go for the law.
U.S. ambassador Nicholas Taubman reacted to the case. He scolded Romania's Parliament on November 14 urging it to stop intimidating and incriminating the press and criticized the amendments.
Taubman's words spurred vehement reactions from several politicians, including the head of the Chamber of Deputies, Bogdan Olteanu, who said the ambassador was sent to Bucharest only because he financed Bush's election campaign. Social Democrat opposition deputy Eugen Nicolicea deemed the ambassador's words are false and likely to affect the country.
Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu also took a stance and said that although the two bills are bad it does not give a foreign diplomat the right to criticize the law frame.
NewsIn
Latest News:
- Insurance market stagnated in 2013 while GDP chare dropped to 1.3%
- The Romanian Leasing Market as of December 31, 2013
- Millennium Bank reports best results since its launch, helped by stronger banking income and cost cuts
- BCR cheapens First Home loans and lowers interest loans for loans in lei
- Millennium Bank's new Salary account clients receive up to 600 lei bonus and their utility bills' payment
- GarantiBank and Seamless introduce SEQR in Romania: the newest mobile payment solution
- Bancpost telecom services, now provided exclusively by Romtelecom and COSMOTE Romania
- Millennium Bank cards offer discounts in Domo stores
- BCR Supervisory Board reshuffles Management Board
- NBR decide to lower the monetary policy rate to 4.25 percent per annum
- Common appointments in Romtelecom and COSMOTE Romania
- Up to 5.5% annual interest rate for Millennium Bank's promotional three-month lei deposit
- Eurozone in recovery mode but gap between North and South still widening
- UniCredit Tiriac Bank and RBS Romania announce the successful completion of the retail clients' migration
- Millennium Bank grants First House loans in lei