Romania rocked by documentary on justice system
"Captured Justice", a documentary by the investigative news platform Recorder, has sparked major controversy in Romania. Garnering millions of clicks on YouTube, the Youtube video shows how judicial proceedings have been delayed and prosecutors and judges stonewalled in numerous corruption cases. Angry citizens have been demonstrating in Bucharest and other cities since Wednesday.
Intimidation is working
Revista 22 writes about a mafia hijacking of the Romanian justice system:
“The situation is very serious indeed. Honest judges have kept quiet about this for years. Out of fear of reprisal? Perhaps. The documentary featured interviews with judges whose faces were blurred and their voices distorted. This just shows how much fear there is - as if this were a mafia. It's frightening that in a democratic state a judge who speaks out about the problems in the judiciary has to fear revealing his identity. ... When the justice system has been hijacked by an insider clique, as is happening now, it starts to falter and threatens to collapse entirely. Then it's not the just the judges who lose out, but society as a whole.”
No change without public pressure
Politicians have no interest in change, Libertatea writes:
“Sadly, the majority of the politicians in office and in parliament, as well as the presidential aides, are part of the system that the Recorder documentary describes. There are very few people in power who don't have a skeleton in the closet and who are not dependent on a judiciary that turns two blind eyes. Neither [Prime Minister Ilie Gavril Bolojan nor President Nicuşor Dan], in whom we still have hope, will be able to do anything. They will talk about the economic situation and call for calm. Just like [former president Klaus] Iohannis, they will not react until pressure from the people forces their hand.”
Someone has to take responsibility
NGO activist Elena Calistru calls for action on the republica.ro website:
“The worst consequence is not the statute of limitations or criminal law being interpreted in the defendant's favour. It is the breach of trust between citizens and the judiciary. When major corruption cases come to nothing, the message is simple and devastating: some people are untouchable. This fuels anger, populism and cynicism. And the people demonstrating in Bucharest are quite rightly demanding: 'A budget deficit? Look [for the money] in the pockets of the corrupt.' And someone has to answer for this. Politically. Publicly. Responsibly. Otherwise, see you again at tonight's demonstrations!”