Romania: Leader seeks top court input over contentious laws

BUCHAREST, Romania – Romania’s president has blasted a series of contentious judicial proposals, telling the constitutional court to examine them on the basis that they “don’t respect the rule of law.”

Klaus Iohannis said Wednesday the laws that Parliament recently approved don’t respect Romania’s constitution, undermine prosecutors and are designed “to scare magistrates.” The court will now have to rule whether the laws are constitutional.

The move comes as the European Union Wednesday considers a proposal to cut funding to countries where the rule of law is deemed under threat.

The proposals in Romania include restricting public statements about corruption probes and allowing suspects to be present when a whistleblower makes allegations against them. There’s also an initiative to create a department to probe wrongdoing by magistrates.

Romania’s left-wing government has defended the overhaul, saying prosecutors have too much power.