PNL's Orban: Consensus tabled by PSD, ALDE, anti-European, we cannot agree with what they do in judiciary

The National Liberal Party (PNL, opposition, ed. n.) cannot reach a political consensus with the PSD and ALDE (major at rule Social Democrat Party and minor at rule Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, ed. n.) as it has been tabled for the 6-month period of presidency of the EU Council, since this is "anti-European", "against European values", the liberal leader Ludovic Orban said on Sunday at a broadcast by public television TVR1.

"There are two forms of consensus, the one that the PSD wants, that is an anti-European consensus. I cannot agree with what they do, let's say in the judiciary, the trampling on the independence of justice, the sickly preoccupation for the convicts or those who are in various trials, the permanent aggression against the independence of justice, the attempt of political control upon everything that means institutional gear at the justice level. We are for the observance of the rule of law and here, if they want a consensus with us, they must walk in the shoes of the European consensus, a European consensus that is observing the European values, is observing the EU Treaty, the Article 2 with the conditions regarding the rule of law, which is the article that is provided in the resolution of the European Parliament, in the CVM report adopted by the European Commission and in general in all of the stances that have existed the long of time on behalf of the European leaders. If they want consensus, well, then, let's have a consensus, let's adopt a simple consensus. What did Iordache promise when being at the Venice Commission - that he would appeal the Venice Commission's experts and the experts of the European Commission to draft the codes and the laws of justice, so that they will be brought to a form compatible with the legislation, to the practices at European level. This is the kind of consensus we wish for, but will they agree with a consensus on such a topic?" Ludovic Orban asked on Sunday, when asked whether on the 6-month term of Romania's presidency to the EU Council's helm a political domestic consensus will exist.

The PNL president added that "another consensus" could be in connection with not attacking the EU leaders for a 6-month term, too.

Orban said that at the launching event of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, organsied at the Romanian Athenaeum it was clearly visible that the European leaders have nothing at all against Romania.AGERPRES(RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Georgiana Tanasescu; EN - author, editor: Maria Voican)