Romania to face harsh criticism from EC over the ongoing hobbling in the justice system

The European Commission's report on the progress of the Romanian justice system and the fight against corruption to be released in January 2008, will include sharp criticism against Bucharest breaking its pledges, EU officials told NewsIn.

EU experts analyzed the country's legal system and especially recorded all the events which lately took place within the system, according to the EU officials.

Their focus was the country's magistracy body and the Anticorruption Department (DNA) which launched missiles and kept biting each other over controversial issues regarding their attributions.

The EU officials explained Romania could avoid a safe guard clause on the judiciary if it straightens up some of things until a decision in this respect slated for next summer.

EC believes the National Integrity Agency, which should keep an eye on magistrates and their fortunes, is not functional while DNA must be fully independent and more efficient, according to the EU officials.

The authorities in Brussels believe the Romanian government shifted focus from one of the country's core objectives: the fight against corruption. This comes at a moment when EC receives tons of letters in which Romanians complain about the first time car registration tax and corruption.

EC asked several times the government to modify the tax and eliminate discrepancies in the way it is applied, as it exempts used cars originating from Romania and taxes those brought from abroad.

EC sees the late resignation of former Justice Minister Tudor Chiuariu as of no importance, the European authorities being rather interested in what measures are taken, EU officials said.

Romania, which threw off communism in 1989, joined the European bloc at the beginning of the year with the promise to crackdown corruption and high level wrongdoing. The country is seen as the most corrupt member of the EU, according to anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International.

NewsIn