The Constitutional Court decided unanimously on Tuesday that the provisions in a governmental ordinance that changed the law on ministerial responsibility and dismantled a presidential commission seen as key in top-level graft investigations were unconstitutional, a Court press release says.

The changes, brought by the government earlier this year, included the dismantling of a commission set up by the presidency which had a consultative, but key role in evaluating whether a member of the government should be investigated for corruption in cases opened by the main anti-graft body, the National Anti-corruption Department (DNA).

The commission, which was expected to have a say on criminal investigations related several ministers of the current government, halted its activities on October 3. At the time, a government ordinance sponsored by Justice minister Tudor Chiuariu was published in the official gazette, changing the ministerial responsibility law that allowed the presidential commission to function in the formula used at the time.

Chiuariu himself has been targeted by the DNA for alleged acts of abuse. Chiuariu was named minister of Justice in spring this year, at the height of a huge political scandal between the Liberal-dominated government led by Calin Popescu Tariceanu and President Traian Basescu. The Constitutional Court decided unanimously on Tuesday that the provisions in a governmental ordinance that changed the law on ministerial responsibility and dismantled a presidential commission seen as key in top-level graft investigations were unconstitutional, a Court press release says.

The changes, brought by the government earlier this year, included the dismantling of a commission set up by the presidency which had a consultative, but key role in evaluating whether a member of the government should be investigated