Unconstitutionality of Exoneration from Legal Liability of Local Dignitaries

  • Ioana Panagoret Valahia University of Targoviste
  • Vasile Ivan Ivanoff Valahia University of Targoviste
Keywords: disclaimer, liability, responsibility, local elected officials, breach of the principle of legality

Abstract

The present study highlights the unconstitutionality of art. 128 of the Law no. 215/2001, as introduced by Law no. 140/2017, since the above-mentioned text only exonerates from liability a wide range of elected local dignitaries, depriving them of any responsibility and deleting from their content the competences and attributions assigned to them by the organic and ordinary laws relevant in this matter. It is for the first time in our legal system when serious legal and constitutional threats are being created, bringing over a lawful category of public officials, seriously infringing Article 16 of the Constitution. It surprises the inefficiency of the People's Advocate and of the Constitutional Court in analyzing the constitutionality of this text of the law both a priori and subsequent of its adoption. In the situation of the changes to Article 128, does it somehow place us in this paradigm of the elimination of liability, because there is "too much responsibility"? We think it is not appropriate to draw such a conclusion! The arguments invoked by us in this study do nothing to converge with the doctrinal opinions already expressed in the literature and to support the quasi-unanimity of the existing opinions regarding the unconstitutionality of the above mentioned law.

Author Biographies

Ioana Panagoret, Valahia University of Targoviste

Valahia University of Targoviste, Faculty of Sciences and Engineering Alexandria, Romania

Vasile Ivan Ivanoff, Valahia University of Targoviste

Valahia University of Targoviste

References

Apostolache MC. Legea nr. 215/2001 a administratiei publice locale comentata si adnotata, Editia a II-a, revazuta si adaugita”. Bucharest: Ed. Universitara; 2017: 532.

Law no. 140/2017 for the modification of art. 128 of the Law of the local public administration no. 215/2001 and for the modification of art. 55 of Law no. 393/2004 regarding the Statute of local elected officials. Available from. https://lege5.ro/Gratuit/ge3dimzqgu4q/legea-nr-140-2017-pentru-modificarea-art-128-din-legea-administratiei-publice-locale-nr-215-2001-si-pentru-modificarea-art-55-din-legea-nr-393-2004-privind-statutul-alesilor-locali, [Accesed 6th December 2019]

Ivanoff IV. Deontologia functiei publice, Fourth Edition, revised and added. Targoviste: Ed. Bibliotheca; 2013: 453.

Law no. 286/2009 - Criminal Code. Available from: http://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Romania/RO_Criminal_Code.pdf, [accesed 5th December 2019]

Vedinas V. Statutul functionarilor publici. Comentarii, legislatie, doctrina si jurisprudenta, Editia a II-a, revazuta si adaugita”, Bucharest: Ed. Universul Juridic; 2016: 372.

Law no. 187/2012 for the implementation of Law no. 286/2009 regarding Penal Code, published on Official Gazette, Part I no. 757 of 12 november 2012, available at: http://www.dreptonline.ro/legislatie/legea_187_2012_punerea_aplicare_codul_penal_legea_286_2009.php

Law no. 393/204 on the Statute of local elected officials. Available from: https://lege5.ro/Gratuit/gu3dinzx/legea-nr-393-2004-privind-statutul-alesilor-locali, [Accesed 7th December 2019]

Law no. 554/2004 of administrative litigation. Available from: http://www.euroavocatura.ro/legislatie/1242/LEGEA_554_2004_a_contenciosului_administrativ_-_Actualizata_2017. [Accesed 5th December 2019]

Constitution of Romania. Available from: http://www.cdep.ro/pls/dic/site.page?id=371, [Accesed 7th December 2019]

Published
2020-03-31
How to Cite
Panagoret, I., & Ivanoff, V. I. (2020). Unconstitutionality of Exoneration from Legal Liability of Local Dignitaries. LUMEN Proceedings, 10, 262-268. https://doi.org/10.18662/lumproc/gidtp2018/29