EU worried about changes to Romania’s Criminal Code shielding elected officials from corruption prosecution

Changes to Romania’s Criminal Code which “shield” elected Romanian politicians from corruption prosecution, have raised eyebrows in the European Union, with the EU commissioner for Justice expressing concern.
According to the EU Observer, EU commissioner for justice Viviane Reding on Monday told MEPs in the parliament’s civil liberties committee that the changes to the code, which have triggered protests in Bucharest, would be dealt with in January.
“We are very worried in the way things are developing in the bad direction in the anti-corruption front,” said Reding, quoted by the site.
Adopted on the same day as major mining legislation passed through the Parliament, the under-the-table changes to the Criminal Code shield elected officials from corruption prosecution while also re-criminalising defamation.
President Traian Basescu has signaled that he won’t approve the changes.
Through their embassies, several countries including Great Britain, France, the United States and the Netherlands have expressed their disapproval of the measures.
Activities are calling for the lawmakers who drafted the bill to be revealed.