Discreet meeting between PM and Constitutional Court president raises questions

A discreet meeting between the president of Romania's Constitutional Court (CCR), Simina Tănăsescu, and interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has sparked controversy and calls for transparency.

The meeting, held on Tuesday, had its agenda and purpose kept private. This lack of information has fueled speculation, particularly as it occurred just three days before the CCR is set to resume deliberations on the Integrity Law, a piece of legislation with significant legal and political implications. The timing has drawn criticism from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), who have demanded official explanations.

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The meeting between the head of the Constitutional Court and the prime minister, without prior announcement, is considered controversial because such meetings have not been reported in the past, especially under conditions of discretion and with a predetermined agenda.

Responding to the concerns, the CCR president's office stated that Tănăsescu "firmly and categorically rejects any speculation regarding the discussion of cases pending before the Court outside the strictly legal framework." However, the absence of transparency has amplified these speculations, especially given the upcoming court decisions on the Integrity Law, which was challenged by President Nicușor Dan.

Tudorel Toader, a former CCR judge, commented that while institutional dialogue between the CCR and the Government exists, the core of constitutional communication lies in the Court's written decisions, not direct discussions with the executive. "The meeting between the head of the Constitutional Court and the prime minister, without prior announcement, is considered controversial because such meetings have not been reported in the past, especially under conditions of discretion and with a predetermined agenda," Toader stated. He added that while there are no legal consequences for such meetings and no specific illegal act is known, the sensitive context inevitably fuels speculation.

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She firmly and categorically rejects any speculation regarding the discussion of cases pending before the Court outside the strictly legal framework.