Vice President of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Alexandru Muraru launches harsh accusations against the Social Democratic Party (PSD) after the Constitutional Court declared constitutional the amendment to the Integrity Law that targets the mayor of Timișoara, Dominic Fritz. The liberal claims that PSD is seeking the „political execution” of the USR leader and warns that, following the decision of the Constitutional Court, „no elected mandate is safe anymore.”
„From today on, no elected mandate is safe anymore. The National Integrity Agency (ANI), led by PSD, will practically decide in place of your vote. Mayors, county council presidents, councilors, local authorities, anyone can be the next target. If the right person doesn’t come out, PSD intervenes,” wrote Alexandru Muraru on Facebook on Monday.
The liberal accuses PSD of trying to provoke a rift between PNL and USR and argues that the plan will have the opposite effect.
"I guarantee you, Social Democrats, that PNL and USR will emerge stronger from all this public circus you are creating, using the justice that you have captured against individual targets. And together, we will go to the next elections to send you where you belong. Into irrelevance," Muraru stated.
The Vice President of PNL claims that PSD has pursued the "political execution" of Dominic Fritz and states that, "after the failed attempt of a coup within PNL," the social democrats are now trying to destabilize USR.
What CCR Decided
The reaction comes after the Constitutional Court declared on Monday the provision of the new Integrity Law as constitutional, which establishes that the function, public dignity, or mandate automatically ceases 30 days after the law comes into force for individuals for whom a final finding of incompatibility or conflict of interest was made before the new law entered into force, and for whom the three-year prohibition period has not ended.
The provision directly targets Dominic Fritz, who has a final court decision in a case regarding a conflict of interest.
In total, over 120 individuals are affected by this provision, 47 of whom currently hold public or elective positions.
However, CCR declared other provisions of the law unconstitutional. These include the phrase "a person who has relationships similar to those between spouses," introduced by an AUR amendment, as well as the publication of information from financial interest declarations.
USR and PNL have challenged the law at the Constitutional Court, and President Nicușor Dan has also filed a complaint.
CCR's decision does not immediately lead to the termination of Dominic Fritz's mandate. The law must continue through the post-constitutional review procedure, including aligning the provisions declared unconstitutional with the Court's decision, before it can be promulgated and published in the Official Gazette.