It's toxic': Romania reeling over claims of high-level justice system corruption

"Seated at the bench at the Bucharest court of appeal was its president, Liana Arsenie, flanked by her two vice-presidents. Behind them, in support, stood about 30 judges. Then, Raluca Morosanu, also a judge at the court, entered the room and asked to speak before the press conference began. We are simply terrorised, she said in a steady voice, breaking ranks with the leadership sitting beside her. I can't describe the atmosphere here, how toxic and tense it has become."

"Morosanu's intervention was made in support of a colleague who had been targeted after appearing in the documentary by Romanian outlet Recorder, which alleged that a network of senior magistrates and politicians had captured Romania's justice system. Everything he said is true and if anyone contradicts him, it is a lie, she said in her address. Last month her colleague was referred for disciplinary proceedings over statements made in the documentary."

"The film used rare prosecutors' and judges' testimonies to claim that the network used administrative manoeuvres to delay convictions in high-level corruption cases until they reached the statute of limitations. The fallout was immediate: thousands of Romanians took to the streets and nearly 900 judges and prosecutors signed an open letter warning of profound and systemic dysfunctions. But six months on, meaningful reform has yet to materialise, and the allegations keep mounting."

A tense press conference at the Bucharest court of appeal followed a documentary claiming corruption at the top of Romania’s justice system. Liana Arsenie, the court president, and two vice-presidents sat at the bench with about 30 judges behind them. Judge Raluca Morosanu entered and asked to speak before the press conference began, saying she and others were terrorised and describing the atmosphere as toxic and tense. She supported a colleague targeted after appearing in the documentary by Recorder, which alleged a network of senior magistrates and politicians captured the justice system. She said everything the colleague stated was true and that contradictions were lies. The documentary’s claims included administrative manoeuvres that delayed convictions in high-level corruption cases until statutes of limitations applied. Thousands protested and nearly 900 judges and prosecutors signed an open letter warning of systemic dysfunction, but reforms had not yet materialized.

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