The Romanian minister of justice Catalin Predoiu announced yesterday that EU members were concerned about the delayed parliamentary procedures on high level corruption cases in Romania, cases involving Romanian MPs enjoying ungrounded immunity. The minister argued that one solution would be to modify the Constitution. He mentioned: "There are such concerns about the procedures lingering in the Parliament, procedures on the cases that should get consent, according to the Constitution, so that prosecutors would continue investigations." The minister announced this while in the residence of the UK ambassador Robin Barnett, where there was being announced the end of a Romanian-British justice collaboration that had taken several years, just as the end of the administrative reform. Last week while in London minister Predoiu talked to the British justice minister Jack Straw about the reform of justice and the fight against corruption in Romania. Presently the Romanian official attended the Council of Justice and Interior Affairs in Luxembourg. The minister recounts: "One day before the Council I had a meeting with Mr. Jose Barosso, the president of the European Commission. We talked about the cooperation and checking mechanism. It was a very good, a substantial meeting for both sides. I had the opportunity to explain in detail about the evolution, about both what we take for progress and difficulties, about stuck things causing concern in some member states." The Romanian official mentioned as well that before the Luxembourg Council he had had a biletaral meeting with Jack Straw in London, as well as with certaim MPs with attributions in justice, members of the government in the shadow, of the opposition. He claimed the same issues had been taken up and concern had been expressed about the countering of high level corruption. The minister concluded: "I think all these meetings gave the Romanian side the opportunity to explain some evolutions. We gave some information, for my dialogue partners were somehow behind the times. And in my turn I had the occasion to have the source explain to me the nature of such concerns and to think about solutions for the future together." Difficulties in the Parliament Minister Predoiu argued that the problem was now with the Romanian Parliament. He commented: "The conclusion is that the Constitution will have to be changed unless we want such a procedure in the constitutional structure for the future. What the Ministry of Justice can do next is show that there is concern about this procedure, because it settles ungrounded immunity." And he stopped, claiming it was not up to the minister to comment on the Parliament's acts. The official added: "We course we can express an opinion and these procedures cause concern. But I have also proved that the analysis of justice reforms and of the outcome of the fight against corruption, high level corruption as well, must not stop. I mean the three cases now in the Parliament. There are hundreds of cases. Some reached courts and there were some sentences. All these must be considered. It also goes for the most problematic cases, 11 cases against ex ministers." He emphasized that the cases must not be delayed or stuck in talks of the MPs. He concluded: "These things should have an ending and not linger much, for they give birth to useless talks doing us no good."

Andrei GHICIUSCA