Following the sudden dismissal of Justice minister Stelian Ion and the trigger of the coalition crisis, with USR-PLUS asking for PM Citu’s stepping down and threatening to file a censure motion, the premier took quick steps and after President Iohannis had given his consent on Stelian Ion’s ousting, Citu named the Interior minister Lucian Bode as interim Minister of Justice.
Lucian Bode also made a quick move and changed the head of the Directorate for approving normative acts in the ministry, Raluca Spoeală, on Friday morning. The decision is related to the fact that the Ministry of Justice did not approve the emergency ordinance regarding the “Anghel Saligny” Program. Stelian Ion, dismissed by Florin Cîțu on the grounds that he refused to endorse the project, reacted by saying that this decision proves that the prime minister “uses the same abusive methods” that were once used by his foes.
According to sources in the ministry quoted the mainstream media, Raluca Spoeală was replaced by Cătălin Oţel, whom Stelian Ion had sacked from the management of the Approval Department at the beginning of April.
Ousted minister of Justice, Stelian Ion said in retort that this decision proves that PM Citu “uses the same abusive methods that were once used by those he publicly criticized so much .”
At the same time, Bode put on hold the selection for the appointment of chief prosecutors.
“Stopping the selection procedure for high-ranking prosecutors, as the first interim measure at the Ministry of Justice, is the clearest evidence that this was the main stake in the reshuffle. And the change from day to day of the management of the Approval Directorate within the Ministry of Justice to facilitate obtaining the approval for PNDL 3, a project that facilitates the theft of public money, and probably subsequent approvals, shows that Florin Citu has no respect for law and uses the same abusive methods that were once used by those he publicly criticized so much. That is the sad reality of these days, “Stelian Ion posted on Facebook.
Lucian Bode took office as interim minister of justice on Thursday evening, when, according to a statement from the Ministry of Justice, he convened a meeting of the Board of Directors “in which the current problems of the ministry were discussed, emergencies were identified and priorities were set”.
As early as Thursday evening, after taking office, Bode announced that his first priority will be the approval of the normative act on the “Anghel Saligny” program, worth 10 billion euros.
On Friday, the interim Minister of Justice announced that the Local Investment Program “Anghel Saligny” will be debated in the Government meeting on Friday, with a positive opinion with observations from the Ministry. He states that the Ministry of Transport has not approved the project, but it is considered to be a tacit opinion.
He argued that the Ministry of Development has two possibilities – it integrates the observations or responds with arguments why it does not take them over. “The Ministry of Justice analyzes a project only when it has all the observations, all the opinions. Consequently, the opinion from the Ministry of Transport had to come within a legal deadline. It did not come within the legal deadline and then it is considered tacit approval. We have all the legal conditions fulfilled so that in today’s government meeting, from 16:00, the Government will debate this draft GEO”, says the interim Minister of Justice