Romania: freedom of expression in danger - government attempts to silence the opposition.

Following reports that Romania's ruling Socialist-Liberal coalition has filed legal charges accusing 15 opposition leaders of defaming the state, the Chairman of the EPP Group, Joseph Daul, declared:

"I am appalled. I cannot believe that in a European Union Member State, after more than 20 years since the fall of Communism, freedom of expression is again under threat. Our recent history has shown that all forms of totalitarianism start with political repression and preventing people from expressing their views. Political debate between the authorities and the opposition should take place in public spaces, not in the State Prosecutor's office. This new development in Romania breaks all normal democratic boundaries and sends an extremely negative signal with regard to the recently affirmed commitment of the Romanian authorities to fully respect the rule of law and democratic principles.

Inventing enemies of the nation, as the Communist party used to do, is nothing but a form of radical rhetoric, in which blame is attributed not to the one who makes a bad decision, but to those who point it out. The coalition government in Romania is undermining the independence of the democratic institutions in the country and now it is targeting the people who might hinder it from taking power.

I appeal to the Romanian political leadership to return to the respect of fundamental rights, one of which is freedom of expression. I reiterate my invitation to Prime Minister Ponta to participate in the next plenary session of the European Parliament so that he can express his views about these reported slippages from democratic practices and European values.

I call on the European Commission to ensure that EU values and fundamental rights are respected in Romania."