The EU criticized Romania's judicial reforms, saying that Bucharest isn't following through on its rule of law commitments. Romania has come under increased scrutiny as it will take over the EU's presidency in January.
Image: picture-alliance/J. Arriens
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Romania is backsliding on commitments to fight corruption and uphold judicial independence, the European Commission said in a report published on Tuesday.
"The developments over the last 12 months sadly have called into question and sometimes even reversed the progress made over the last 10 years," Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans told reporters in Strasbourg.
Lawmakers in the European Parliament also overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Tuesday that sharply criticized Romania's disputed judicial reform plans. EU lawmakers warned that the planned reforms threaten to "structurally undermine the independence of the judicial system ... as well as to weaken the rule of law."
The EU's concerns stem from a series of legal and personnel changes that the Social Democrats have pushed through since coming to power two years ago.
Liviu Dragnea, head of the ruling Social Democrat party, rejected the Commission's criticism, saying: "The real topics regarding Romania are beyond any report or monitoring mechanism."
'Romania has gone back in time'
With Romania set to take over the EU's rotating presidency on January 1, concerns have been raised over whether the country is prepared to do so.
Romania's centrist president, Klaus Iohannis, told reporters on Tuesday that his country is not ready assume the EU presidency.
"The Commission's report and the European Parliament's resolution address the same things," he said. "They tell us Romania has gone back in time to before its 2007 EU accession."
Since Romania joined the bloc in 2007, it has been subject to an annual review of its rule of law. The latest report jeopardizes Bucharest's bid to join Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, which can only be permitted if it adheres to EU standards.
Mass protests in Romania
More than 200,000 Romanians took part in an anti-corruption demonstration in February 2017. It was the biggest protest in the country since the fall of communism in Romania in 1989.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Pungovski
2017 rallies in the capital
Demonstrators joined several rallies in the capital Bucharest in February last year to protest against the government for decriminalizing certain corruption offences. The country's left-wing government adopted an emergency law to make abuse of power punishable only when it concerns sums that exceed 200,000 lei (44,000 euros)
Image: Reuters/Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea
Crowds hit the streets
Protesters set fire to street signs during scuffles with police. The government claims the new laws were necessary to bring the eastern European country's criminal code in line with recent constitutional court rulings.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/dpa/V. Ghirda
Police firing tear gas
Protesters say the proposed changes would be a blow to anti-corruption drives in Romania that have been ongoing for several years. Some demonstrators hurled bottles, firecrackers and stones at security forces, who responded by firing tear gas.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/dpa/V. Ghirda
Nationwide riots
Hundreds of thousands of protesters braved freezing temperatures in cities across the country. President Klaus Iohanis called the adoption of the law "a day of mourning for the rule of law ... which has received a grave blow from the enemies of justice."
Image: Reuters/Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea
Riot police called out
Four police and two demonstrators sustained minor injuries after protests turned violent in front of the Romanian parliament, police said. Twenty protesters were arrested and a number of Molotov cocktails were seized, according to a police statement.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/D. Mihailescu
Protest in front of the government headquarters
Between 200,000 and 300,000 demonstrators were reported to have turned out. Many shouted "Thieves!" and called on the government to step down in the light of the emergency decree.
