PM Victor Ponta

The leadership of the High Court of Cassation and Justice told me many times – surely, as lawyer, I have been here, about the totally improper conditions in which they carry out their activity. Reality is worse than what I was told. There are shameful conditions for a modern country, for a fundamental institution such as the High Court of Cassation and Justice.
Together with Mr. Minister, (Justice Minister), and afterwards, with the Finance Minister, we will try to find a solution, but not provisional, but a medium and long term solution whereby, nevertheless, a fundamental institution such as the Supreme Court can perform its activity in some decent conditions. It is the worst situation I could see in public institutions. Perhaps, it is elsewhere too, but it is so crowded and such inappropriate conditions…It is a task, for me and the Justice Minister to try to find a medium and long term solution to this problem.

Reporter
They talked about the Palace of Justice, yesterday. Minister said about the Justice Palace where the Court of Appeal is functioning now.

PM Victor Ponta
Yes, but it is the Court of Appeal and what to do? You cannot move the High Court elsewhere; the solution is to find a building for this, from the very beginning as one cannot adapt …the courts do not have a specifics similar to other institutions, therefore, to have some offices. It is about trial rooms, archives, it is something altogether special, and it is more difficult to adjust a room not made for it than do it from the very beginning.

 

Reporter
Have you thought about such a building, one that would be suitable?

PM Victor Ponta
We thought about many examples, we did not come empty handed. The idea solution is to build a building dedicated to the activity of courts and Prosecutor’ Offices from Bucharest … That would imply a lot of money.

Reporter
A great deal of it.

PM Victor Ponta
Not very many, as we spend now a great deal of it with maintaining some buildings that are across the city. Therefore, on medium and long term, it might equally mean some savings.
The problem is initial investment. Let us see how we can do it.

Reporter
Regarding money, how many millions will Bechtel receive as damages?

PM Victor Ponta
You confused me with changing the topic, Mr. Sova will present me and the Government colleagues the final outcome of negotiations.

Reporter
2014-2020, European funds, you met today with Ministers…

PM Victor Ponta
I stayed three hours today with the Ministers.

Reporter
Concrete sums?

PM Victor Ponta

You know as it is, exactly as to the national budget: nobody is satisfied. As we have 19 billions, I speak in round figures, for cohesion and 2 billion reserve, and we have to share this money for infrastructure projects, for social projects, research, education….We stayed for three hours, we have to find a solution, we have nothing else to do, this is the money to be earmarked. It is important to have a certain strategy, to have some aims to attain them, and especially to set an administrative system to use that money, as we did not use the money from the 2007 – 2013 exercise, and we quarreled over the next money. The system which improved, obviously, should be made functional and to use as better as possible the money. In this context, in the context of current exercise, 2007 -2013, the Commission’s decision to prolong by one year, for Romania and Slovakia, the possibility to submit the projects helps very much, as it is an year recovering for instance year 2011 which was catastrophe.
It was the year following which, all programs were pre-suspended, and then, we will manage to get back 2011 from the Commission.

Reporter
Apart from space, what other problem confronts the High Court of Cassation…

PM Victor Ponta
We discussed other problems too. This is the hottest. We discussed other topics as well, related to the first effects of the enforcement of the Civil Procedure Code, preparedness for the enforcement of the Criminal Procedure Code, as of next year, about an idea to clearly reflect the judicial power in the Constitution. There have been more topics. This is why I was together with the Justice Minister, but I admit the number one problem is nevertheless the problem of a decent functioning. What we saw today and what people who reach the Supreme Court could see is inacceptable.

Reporter
The General Prosecutor’s Office took two important decisions immediately after the appointment of Tiberiu Nitu – the non –start of the criminal prosecution in your case in the plagiarism file, and the closure of bullets file of Adrian Nastase. Can these decisions be interpreted?

PM Victor Ponta
If you want, you can interpret them. Interpretation is part of fundamental freedoms.

Reporter
How does it seem to you that the solution not to start the criminal prosecution was given on the first day in office of Mr. Tiberiu Nitu?

PM Victor Ponta
It was a political wound to me, from last year’s battle. It closed; the scar remained, that is.

Reporter
Legally speaking, the Government might initiate through the Justice Ministry, a collective pardon procedure that Mr. Becali could benefit from. Is such a procedure considered?

PM Victor Ponta
Did we take it into account, Mr. Minister?

Robert Cazanciuc
No.

PM Victor Ponta
Was it the answer clear? But, on the other hand, it has no connection with your colleague’s question; I want you to know about the fact that we have a big problem regarding the penitentiary regime, the crowded penitentiary regime.

Reporter: They gave some money ...

PM Victor Ponta: I gave last week, ten million from the reserve fund. It does not solve the problem. It just helps to pay some of the supplementary costs. And that, over the next period, we will have big problems at ECHR on this topic. That does not necessarily mean that we should have fewer prisoners. It is about, however, that the prison system in Romania practically does not resist to the occupation degree, and we will be probably, I hope not to happen, but we will begin to have convictions on this subject at the ECHR.
Reporter: What would be the solution?
PM Victor Ponta
Okay, but on the other hand, do not be in my place. When you need money for hospitals, when you need money for school when you need money, for the courts, to assign it to prison is a very difficult decision. Not to mention the damages, not to mention many other things.
Reporter: Do you consider the idea of private prisons?
PM Victor Ponta
Private how? In the sense that a private firm builds the prison, and then exploits it with the money from the budget, I do not think the detainee pays to stay there. It is not like the hotel. We pay the expenses. Sure, there was not the initial investment, but I prefer on such a public - private partnership, to try to find a solution, for example, for the office building, the center of judicial institutions ie a building to be built by a private firm and to which, we pay rent for the next 30-40 years for the courts, prosecutor's offices, rather that for it, if we succeed. Thank you!
Reporter: The eternal question about the government reshuffle, should we ask it?
PM Victor Ponta: Eternal reply.
Reporter / ... /
PM Victor Ponta: No, but, when appropriate, you will be the first one to know. No, the first one to know will be the reshuffled, after that- you, but it is not the case for now.
Reporter: The first one to find is Mr. Antonescu.
PM Victor Ponta: Right. Thank you!