Bucharest, July 17 /Agerpres/ – Romania’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
(MAE) has welcomed the observance on Monday, July 17, of the World Day for
International Justice and the 25th anniversary of the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court (ICC), reconfirming Romania’s firm support for
the ICC activity.

According to MAE, the adoption of the Rome Statute is a historic
moment in the development of international criminal justice. The
International Criminal Court has become an essential part of the
international justice system, representing both a guarantor of access to
justice for thousands of victims of the most serious crimes under its
jurisdiction, and a catalyst for strengthening national judicial systems.

“On this occasion, Romania is reconfirming its firm support for the
work of the ICC and its role in the fight against impunity for the most
serious crimes that concern the international community as a whole.
Romania is highlighting the importance of full co-operation with this
international criminal court, including in terms of the arrest warrants
issued by the ICC.”

At the same time, Romania is underlining the importance of defending
this court against any attempt to undermine its activity and any threats to
it and its staff.

Romania will continue to support efforts aimed at contributing to
supporting the ICC to carry out its mandate and to protect the independence
of this international court.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first and, at the same
time, the only permanent international criminal court, according to MAE.

“The ICC was established by the Rome Statute, adopted on July 17,
1998, which came into force on July 1, 2002. Currently, 123 countries are
parties to the ICC Statute. Romania signed the ICC Statute on July 7,
1999 and ratified it by Law 111 of March 28, 2002. The ICC jurisdiction
covers the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crime
of aggression, with the court’s jurisdiction being complementary to national
jurisdictions,” according to MAE.

Since the interwar period, Romania has been involved in the
development of the international criminal law, being one of the main
promoters of the establishment of a permanent international criminal court
through the prodigious activity of diplomat and jurist Vespasian Pella.