Several politicians and people from the public space reacted after the Superior Council of Magistracy filed a criminal complaint against Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu.
Oana Gheorghiu PHOTO Archive
The Superior Council of the Magistracy condemned the statements of Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu regarding special pensions, in which she compared the system with “a kind of Caritas”.
In reaction, several politicians came to her defense, including USR president Dominic Fritz. “Solidarity with Oana Gheorghiu. Freedom of expression is sacred”he wrote on his Facebook page.
For his part, the Minister of Defense, Ionuţ Moşteanu, conveyed that: “In a democracy, freedom of expression is guaranteed. The fact that the CSM reports to the criminal investigation bodies for a public statement by Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu is a dangerous signal for freedom of expression and for the balance between state powers. Oana Gheorghiu has my support”.
The USR spokesperson, Cristian Seidler, stated that the rule of law is not a special pension. “The independence of justice is not a special pension. Magistrates are not a special pension. When someone, no matter what their position, says that they do not agree with special pensions, they are not attacking the rule of law, nor the independence of the judiciary, nor magistrates, but special pensions. Pensions taken at 48, equal to the salary of a working magistrate. That is a privilege. Arrest me for writing this!”Seidler points out.
The PNL deputy, Raluca Turcan, accused that the complaint of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) against the Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu would be “an act of intimidation“ outside the constitutional role of CMS.
“The CSM procrastinated to give an opinion on special pensions, but it immediately referred itself for a political statement. The CSM practices a worrying double standard, which undermines public trust in a key institution for Romanian democracy. The judiciary is called by the Constitution to defend freedom of expression, not to undermine it”it is stated in the message published by Turcan.
“The CSM filed a criminal complaint against Oana Gheorghiu for “incitement to hatred”. Sosoacă and all the trumpets of hatred have threatened everyone for 5 years and the CSM has not seen them. Do I understand that the message is that they started the files on us? For what? For those ridiculous pensions? I am waiting for them to make a file on me for activities against the order of special pensions and privileges. Until then, Oana Gheorghiu can based on all my legal capacity. Starting with the abolition of special pensions”wrote Vlad Gheorghe, who requested a referendum.
Oana Gheorghiu, criticized for her statements
On the other hand, other personalities from the public space defended the CSM and criticized Oana Georghiu.
“Taken by the wave of populism and USR-ist rhetoric, Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu made a number of statements to the magistrates that can be considered unreasonable criticism (especially, in my opinion, in violation of the requirement of respect for the institution of justice) (…) What Mrs. Gheorghiu did not understand once she was installed in Victoriei is that, in our constitutional system, as a dignitary you cannot say even everything that can says an NGO”wrote Valerian Stan.
For his part, AUR MEP Gheorghe Piperea sent: “It’s incredible to see how the wheel, even a square one, still ends up turning once: those who are constantly in mind, deeds and words with the accusations of hate speech committed by others, end up being themselves in the dock. The CSM will have only one problem: in order to start the criminal investigation of a vice-premier, the approval of President Dan is required. Anyway: no penalties in public positions, remember?”
“This is a moment that tests the maturity of our democratic institutions. We will see if the investigation will be objective, if the evidence will be rigorously evaluated and if justice will work without political interference. Regardless of the final outcome, this episode reminds us that the dignity of public office and social influence come with the responsibility to respect fundamental democratic values.”also wrote Silvia Uscov, former lawyer of Elena Udrea, and Andrei Gușă, son of Cozmin Gușă, who joined the AUR party in July.
CSM, criminal complaint against the deputy prime minister
The Superior Council of the Magistracy announced on Monday, November 10, that it has filed a criminal complaint against Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu and strongly condemns Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu’s statements made in a televised interview. She attacked special pensions and compared the system to “a kind of Caritas”.
The decision comes after Oana Gheorghiu declared on Saturday, November 8, that Romania can no longer afford to have special pensioners, comparing the system to “a kind of Caritas”.
“The statements deliberately formulated in a note characterized by an emotional vector, with reference to funds allocated for minors affected by serious pathologies, and the comparison between their situation and the financial guarantees of judicial independence cannot be simple personal opinions when they come from a representative of the executive power. Such allegations represent attacks on a constitutional power, which fuels a dangerous discourse that incites hatred and discrimination, intended to antagonize society against the professional body of magistrates”the CSM transmitted.
