The European Commission has issued a list of its requests on Romania, which were addressed to Romanian PM Victor Ponta on Thursday and aimed at Romania's continued compliance with European standards. The list includes tough points such as the dismissal of incompatible MPs, the reinstatement of certain rules for the validation of a referendum to impeach the President and avoiding naming people at a key anti-corruption body during the interim presidency of Crin Antonescu.

The list, as quoted by RFI, is imperative in tone and comes as Romania's governing alliance USL, led by Ponta and Antonescu, has been struggling with a wave of European criticism regarding the compliance with the rule of law and democratic process in the country. Romania is bracing for a referendum to dismiss President Traian Basescu, who was suspended last week in a blitz series of decisions in the Parliament dominated by USL.

What the European Commission demands so that Romania comply with the rule of law, the independence of Justice and European trust:

  • No new head be named at the National Anti-Corruption Department and no new prosecutor-general be named during the interim presidency of Crin Antonescu
  • No pardon be issued during the interim presidency of Crin Antonescu - a hint at the case of former PM Adrian Nastase, current PM Victor Ponta's mentor, who was recently convicted in a corruption case
  • Ministers must be named from among people who have not received sentences regarding their personal integrity and those who have such sentences must resign (as in the case of minister Ecaterina Andronescu). Deputies who are subjects of final decisions of incompatibility and conflict of interests must also resign (as in the case of MPs Sergiu Andon and Florin Pislaru)
  • The People's Lawyer (Ombudsman) must be a person who has the support of all political parties
  • The powers of the Constitutional Court must all be returned and a recent ordinance limiting these powers must be annulled
  • The rules to validate the referendum to impeach the president must be re-established, while the Official Gazette must no longer be used for the "selective" publication of official decisions