The Netherlands is actively following the development of the rule of law in Romania, while the New Year’s Eve vacation of the Dutch ambassador in Bucharest and her family was a “private” one, the Netherlands’ Embassy to Romania informed on its Facebook page on Thursday.
The embassy’s official statement comes after the mass media in Romania reported that ambassador Stella Ronner-Grubacic had stood at the New Year’s Eve party at the same table with the family of Nelu Iordache, who has been recently sentenced to prison for fund embezzlement, in a first court.
“The Ambassador and her family went on a privately organized skiing vacation in Poiana Brasov. She was not there in her official capacity.
The hotel where the family stayed organized a dinner on New Year’s Eve attended by hundreds of guests. There was no prior consultation with the Ambassador on the seating arrangement.
The Netherlands is actively following the development of the rule of law in Romania on which a recent statement was made, together with six other European countries, on 21st of December,” reads the embassy’s statement.
Two weeks ago, the embassies of seven countries accredited in Romania, including the diplomatic mission of the Netherlands, sent a joint press release, calling on “all parties involved” in the justice reform process “to avoid any action that could lead to a weakening of the independence of the judiciary system in Romania and fight against corruption.”
The seven embassies said they want to reiterare that their countries have a common fate with Romania “based on common values and especially on the rule of law,” while reminding Romania’s progress on justice affairs and warning over the “risks” associated with the proposed justice law amendments.