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Barroso reminds Romania of democratic shortcomings

04 February 2013, 15:33 CET
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Barroso reminds Romania of democratic shortcomings

Ponta - Barroso - Photo EC

(BRUSSELS) - European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso on Monday reminded Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta that Bucharest must be able to prove it can guarantee the independence of the EU state's judiciary.

Barroso was speaking after face-to-face talks in Brussels fresh from a critical report on progress towards meeting European Union democratic norms that forms a key element in the terms of the former Communist state's 2007 accession to the Western bloc.

"I appreciate the efforts Mr Ponta has made over last six months to deliver on commitments he made last July," Barroso said. "The conditions now exist, with a more stable political situation, and new government, and parliament, to make a real push on the reform process."

However, "we need to see further progress on the independence of judiciary," he underlined, with a key call for "politicians to set an example by stepping aside where integrity rulings or corruption charges exist."

The EU and Romania have been at loggerheads for months over the assimilation of Bucharest into the bloc's political culture, but Ponta -- a former prosecutor -- said he had assured Barroso "that Romania is right now a much more stable and predictable country ... a country which respects all the European standards."

The Commission will issue another update on Romanian reforms before the end of the year.


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