Introduction
Eastern European countries have changed drastically in the last thirty-four years since the fall of communism. Even at present, the consequences of less democratic regimes can be seen in the area, which include a higher level of corruption and violations of human rights. Moreover, the countries choose different strategies to address the past issues under communism. Ultimately, the current essay discusses the methods of transitional justice used to deal with the violations of human rights in the 20th century.
Discussion
In this context, vetting and lustration are two prominent strategies of transitional justice that might help assess past mistakes and hold criminals accountable. In general, both methods thoroughly analyze the behavior of suspected individuals with consequent punishment, although vetting is a less rigid and systematic method (Gready & Robins, 2020). Similar strategies have been used in Eastern Europe to deal with past human rights violations under communism (Bernhard, 2020). The primary strength is that this approach can help the government restore public trust; however, it might be challenging to conduct a proper investigation, leading to false accusations. In Romania, vetting can be highly effective due to the present high levels of corruption and worsening public trust (Bernhard, 2020). The positive results of this approach can be seen through the example of the recent arrest of Ion Iliescu (Romania’s ex-president), who was charged with “crimes against humanity” (“Ion Iliescu,” 2019, para. 1). This justice process in Romania resembles vetting due to the focus on isolated cases, but it is highly effective for restoring public trust.
Romania still experiences relatively high levels of corruption and political instability, and more radical forms of transitional justice, such as lustration or purge, to address human rights violations might further complicate the situation. In other words, the primary weakness of these methods is their substantial impact on the political systems. Hence, while vetting is a less rigid strategy, its strength lies in the relatively low impact on political stability while significantly restoring public trust.
Conclusion
The analysis has shown that Romania might benefit greatly from vetting, while other forms of transitional justice might be detrimental to the current political system. It means that establishing a more systematic process of public administration transformation or lustration is a significantly riskier endeavor. Ultimately, vetting is a more appropriate method than lustration or purge to deal with past human rights violations in Romania and other countries in Eastern Europe.
References
Bernhard, M. (2020). What do we know about civil society and regime change thirty years after 1989? East European Politics, 36(3), 341-362. Web.
Gready, P., & Robins, S. (2020). Transitional justice and theories of change: Towards evaluation as understanding. International Journal of Transitional Justice, 14(2), 280-299. Web.
Ion Iliescu: Romania’s ex-leader charged with crimes against humanity. (2019). BBC News. Web.