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| Romania, Fighting the E.U., Prepares to Lead It | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| BUCHAREST, Romania — The government of Romania is on a collision course with the European Union at the very moment it is scheduled to take a leadership role in the organization. | BUCHAREST, Romania — The government of Romania is on a collision course with the European Union at the very moment it is scheduled to take a leadership role in the organization. |
| The presidency of the Council of the European Union — the body through which the bloc’s 28 member states help guide legislation and coordinate policy — moves from one country to another every six months. On Tuesday, it will be Romania’s turn for the first time since it joined the union 12 years ago. | The presidency of the Council of the European Union — the body through which the bloc’s 28 member states help guide legislation and coordinate policy — moves from one country to another every six months. On Tuesday, it will be Romania’s turn for the first time since it joined the union 12 years ago. |
| At the same time, however, the government in Bucharest is pressing ahead with changes to its justice system that have been strongly criticized in Brussels, and top officials in the country are defending the government’s position with increasingly Euroskeptic language. | At the same time, however, the government in Bucharest is pressing ahead with changes to its justice system that have been strongly criticized in Brussels, and top officials in the country are defending the government’s position with increasingly Euroskeptic language. |
| The left-wing government has moved assertively to rein in the independence of the judiciary — setting off street protests and political upheaval — and is now considering a decree granting amnesty to people convicted of corruption. Last week, Romania’s justice minister officially requested the dismissal of the country’s top prosecutor, an outspoken critic of the government’s moves. | The left-wing government has moved assertively to rein in the independence of the judiciary — setting off street protests and political upheaval — and is now considering a decree granting amnesty to people convicted of corruption. Last week, Romania’s justice minister officially requested the dismissal of the country’s top prosecutor, an outspoken critic of the government’s moves. |
| The European Union is another critic. Romania has “not only stalled its reform process, but also reopened and backtracked on issues where progress was made over the past 10 years,” said Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, which issued a harsh report in November. | The European Union is another critic. Romania has “not only stalled its reform process, but also reopened and backtracked on issues where progress was made over the past 10 years,” said Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, which issued a harsh report in November. |
| The criticism has not gone down well in Bucharest. | The criticism has not gone down well in Bucharest. |
| Liviu Dragnea, the leader of Romania’s governing Social Democratic Party, accused the bloc in December of “discriminatory” treatment, telling party members, “Romania will no longer accept being treated as a second-rate country.” The prime minister, Viorica Dancila, said it had been rebuked in the past simply “because we are an Eastern European country.” | Liviu Dragnea, the leader of Romania’s governing Social Democratic Party, accused the bloc in December of “discriminatory” treatment, telling party members, “Romania will no longer accept being treated as a second-rate country.” The prime minister, Viorica Dancila, said it had been rebuked in the past simply “because we are an Eastern European country.” |
| The European Union council presidency is responsible for leading meetings, determining agendas and fostering dialogue. For a country like Romania, one of the European Union’s newest members, holding the presidency has important symbolic and practical value. | The European Union council presidency is responsible for leading meetings, determining agendas and fostering dialogue. For a country like Romania, one of the European Union’s newest members, holding the presidency has important symbolic and practical value. |
| A successful presidency “is something that is going to increase your clout afterwards,” said George Ciamba, Romania’s minister delegate for European affairs. | A successful presidency “is something that is going to increase your clout afterwards,” said George Ciamba, Romania’s minister delegate for European affairs. |
| Romania’s presidency also comes at “a crucial moment for the future of the E.U.,” according to Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission. That includes the handling of Britain’s scheduled exit from the bloc on March 29 and addressing the rise of authoritarian governments. | Romania’s presidency also comes at “a crucial moment for the future of the E.U.,” according to Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission. That includes the handling of Britain’s scheduled exit from the bloc on March 29 and addressing the rise of authoritarian governments. |
| Mr. Juncker told the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in a recent interview that he believed Romania was “technically well-prepared” for the presidency, but added: “I think the government in Bucharest hasn’t yet fully grasped what it means to take the chair over the E.U. countries.” | Mr. Juncker told the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in a recent interview that he believed Romania was “technically well-prepared” for the presidency, but added: “I think the government in Bucharest hasn’t yet fully grasped what it means to take the chair over the E.U. countries.” |
| Promoting European unity through the presidency, he said, required “a united front at home.” | Promoting European unity through the presidency, he said, required “a united front at home.” |
| Over the past two years, Romania has experienced a wave of protests, which peaked in February 2017, when a half-million people — in a country of 20 million — took to the streets to oppose an emergency decree that effectively decriminalized low-level corruption. It was the largest protest since the fall of communism in 1989. | Over the past two years, Romania has experienced a wave of protests, which peaked in February 2017, when a half-million people — in a country of 20 million — took to the streets to oppose an emergency decree that effectively decriminalized low-level corruption. It was the largest protest since the fall of communism in 1989. |
| Anti-government protests in August, which drew crowds of around 100,000, ended in violence when the police clashed with protesters and used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Hundreds of people, including security personnel, needed medical attention. | Anti-government protests in August, which drew crowds of around 100,000, ended in violence when the police clashed with protesters and used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Hundreds of people, including security personnel, needed medical attention. |
| “The instability and the lack of predictability in the last two years have affected so many areas of the public agenda, that it made almost the entire society uncertain,” said Elena Calistru, who leads the Romanian civic advocacy group Funky Citizens. | “The instability and the lack of predictability in the last two years have affected so many areas of the public agenda, that it made almost the entire society uncertain,” said Elena Calistru, who leads the Romanian civic advocacy group Funky Citizens. |
| “In the past Romania wasn’t exactly a ray of light, but it was the most predictable country in the region, with clear attachments to its European path,” she added. | “In the past Romania wasn’t exactly a ray of light, but it was the most predictable country in the region, with clear attachments to its European path,” she added. |
| Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, exasperated by the political turmoil, declared in November that his country was not ready to take on the bloc’s presidency, though he later backtracked on the comment. | Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, exasperated by the political turmoil, declared in November that his country was not ready to take on the bloc’s presidency, though he later backtracked on the comment. |
| In Romania, the president is elected separately from Parliament and is the head of state, but not of the government. Mr. Iohannis, the former leader of the opposition National Liberal Party, is often at odds with the governing party, particularly Mr. Dragnea, who is currently appealing a conviction in June on abuse-of-office charges. | In Romania, the president is elected separately from Parliament and is the head of state, but not of the government. Mr. Iohannis, the former leader of the opposition National Liberal Party, is often at odds with the governing party, particularly Mr. Dragnea, who is currently appealing a conviction in June on abuse-of-office charges. |
| A previous conviction for electoral fraud bars Mr. Dragnea from serving as prime minister, but he exercises a prime ministerial level of influence and serves as speaker of the lower house of Parliament. | A previous conviction for electoral fraud bars Mr. Dragnea from serving as prime minister, but he exercises a prime ministerial level of influence and serves as speaker of the lower house of Parliament. |
| Mr. Dragnea has called on officials to investigate Mr. Iohannis for treason for his comments about Romania’s lack of readiness for the presidency, local news media have reported. | Mr. Dragnea has called on officials to investigate Mr. Iohannis for treason for his comments about Romania’s lack of readiness for the presidency, local news media have reported. |
| For his part, Mr. Iohannis has felt compelled to personally monitor the activities of government bodies. In mid-December, Mr. Iohannis requested advance agendas of every governmental meeting so he could be present to oppose attempts to advance the amnesty measure. | For his part, Mr. Iohannis has felt compelled to personally monitor the activities of government bodies. In mid-December, Mr. Iohannis requested advance agendas of every governmental meeting so he could be present to oppose attempts to advance the amnesty measure. |
| But Radu Magdin, chief analyst at Smartlink, a Bucharest-based political consulting company, played down the significance of the governing party’s recent anti-Brussels language. | But Radu Magdin, chief analyst at Smartlink, a Bucharest-based political consulting company, played down the significance of the governing party’s recent anti-Brussels language. |
| “It’s not an offensive but a defensive strategy. The parliamentary majority wants to nudge Brussels to stay away from what it is doing at home,” Mr. Magdin said. “The country is not Euroskeptic or on the verge of becoming Euroskeptic.” | “It’s not an offensive but a defensive strategy. The parliamentary majority wants to nudge Brussels to stay away from what it is doing at home,” Mr. Magdin said. “The country is not Euroskeptic or on the verge of becoming Euroskeptic.” |
| For Ms. Calistru, the main concern now is if Romania were to pass amnesty legislation, especially during its presidency. | For Ms. Calistru, the main concern now is if Romania were to pass amnesty legislation, especially during its presidency. |
| “If you pass such an ordinance after so many debates in the European Parliament, it means you are basically ignoring any dialogue with the European institutions, while hosting the presidency of the council,” she said. “This would be a disastrous message.” | “If you pass such an ordinance after so many debates in the European Parliament, it means you are basically ignoring any dialogue with the European institutions, while hosting the presidency of the council,” she said. “This would be a disastrous message.” |