Romania Presidency: Govt, Judiciary Decided Catalin Predoiu Remains Justice Minister

"Romania’s President Traian Basescu on Tuesday mediated talks between legal system representatives and government officials, at the request of the head of the High Council of Magistrates and the justice minister, and talks focused on core issues for the country’s legal system," the presidency said a in a press release Tuesday.

 

Talks targeted the recent halt in magistrates’ activity, as protest to the financial situation in the legal system, the granting of salary bonuses, among which, the 50% bonus for mental distress and the 15% confidentiality bonus; the sub-financing of the legal system; as well as the issue concerning a potential dismissal of justice minister, as previously requested  by several professional organizations of magistrates.

 

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Emil Boc, the head of the High Council of Magistrates (CSM), Virgil Andreieş, the vice-president of the High Council of Magistrates, Bogdan Licu, the vice-president of the High Court of Justice, Lidia Barbulescu, CSM members, Dan Lupascu and Liviu Dascalescu, as well as justice minister Catalin Marian Predoiu, and finance minister Gheorghe Pogea.

 

The Romanian authorities’ recent decision to cancel the 50% pay bonus for magistrates has triggered nationwide protests in recent weeks. The magistrates decided to halt trials in all courtrooms in the country for three hours daily, threatening to continue protests indefinitely.