Transparency International Romania, a member of the Alliance for the Rule of Law, alongside Active Watch - the Press Monitoring Agency, the Pro Democracy Association and the Legal Resources Center, congratulates the three state powers for signing on 24 September 2009 the principles will ground the Pact for Justice.

The context in which these principles were signed was marked by wide-ranging protests by magistrates approved at the General Assemblies of Courts and Prosecutors, which began in June with a suspension of work for two hours a day, culminating in the cessation of any judicial activity starting with 1 September, postponing all civil, commercial, labor, and criminal litigation, except for arrested cases.

By accepting the framework for dialogue offered and facilitated by civil society, representatives of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary participated in a series of four negotiation meetings between September 17-23. The debates were on the independence of the judiciary in carrying out the act of justice, financing the system, the relationship of justice with the other state powers, ensuring the proper administration of justice and the condition of the judge and his public image.

The joint efforts of the three state powers in this framework have led to the identification of a set of unanimously accepted principles, on the basis of which the Pact for Justice will be drafted. The assumption of these principles by the mandated representatives of the three powers creates the premises for the democratic resolution of the dispute between the powers. As a result, the General Assemblies of Magistrates decided to end the protests and resume court trials and prosecutors' inquiries, completely blocked for four weeks.

Transparency International Romania appreciates the maturity demonstrated by the three state powers participating in these discussions and finding in such a short space of viable solutions for restoring the rule of law and respecting and protecting the fundamental rights of citizens. Transparency International Romania also calls on the three powers to continue the dialogue in the same constructive manner and expresses its willingness to support their future approaches to the drafting and adoption of the Pact for Justice within the special parliamentary commission created for this purpose.

Principles of the Pact for Justice

Transparency International Romania

Contact:
Victor Alistar - Executive Director, Transparency International Romania
(Victor@transparency.org.ro).

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