Romania under fire over new judicial reform

BUCHAREST: Romania, which currently holds the EU´s rotating presidency, was under fire Tuesday over plans to allow politicians convicted of corruption to challenge their verdicts.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who has frequently clashed with the government in the past, hit out at an emergency decree unveiled by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader on Monday allowing people found guilty of corruption after 2014 to fight their convictions.

Iohannis said the decree was an attempt by the ruling Social Democrat PSD party to whitewash its politicians, "first and foremost their party chief".

Although the PSD won the election in 2016, its chief Liviu Dragnea was barred from becoming prime minister because of previous convictions, including a two-year suspended prison sentence for vote-rigging. If the new decree is passed, Dragnea -- widely regarded as Romania´s most powerful politician and the puppet master of current prime minister could challenge his convictions. Romania, regarded as one of the EU´s most graft-ridden members, has repeatedly clashed with Brussels over a series of judicial reforms which the EU Commission believes will hamper the much-needed fight against corruption.