In an interview for Euronews, European Commission’s First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, also leader of PES and candidate for the top EC position in the coming term, has had a tough position on the developments in Romania and on PSD, which the European official said could be kicked out of the Party of European Socialists.
A member of the audience asked Timmermans why the EU was tough on Poland and Hungary but less so on Romania, which is currently governed by the Social Democrat Party (PSD).
“The problem in Romania is the fight against corruption. Politicians are trying to get rid of the pressure they feel in this fight against corruption, this is unacceptable and the commission will say ‘no’ and also in our political family we will say ‘no’ to all of this,” Timmermans said.
Timmermans added that he’d be willing to kick PSD out of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats’ grouping at the European Parliament, before May’s EU elections if necessary.
“It’s a fact that if the rule of law is in trouble if there are no checks and balances, that corruption will increase,” Timmermans continued, Euronews.com reports.
The Chamber of Deputies adopted on Wednesday, as decision-making body, the amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Criminal Procedure Code, stirring reactions from many European officials.