President Basescu calls for constitutional solution following Court ruling

(Initially published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ - Jul 12, 2005)

Bucharest, Presidential Palace, July 12 – Romanian President Traian Basescu by acknowledging state institutions' open conflict following Court ruling invited all parties involved (Parliament's Speakers, parliamentary groups, the Prime Minister) to provide political solution to crisis. PM says his resignation is no longer imminent. Early elections date uncertain.

Last week, Romanian Govt intention to resign – following Constitutional Court ruling against some critical issues in the judiciary reform bill – resulted into a political crisis asking even for early elections.

This afternoon, according to his constitutional powers, President Basescu invited at Cotroceni Palace the chairmen of the Senate and the Lower Chamber, the Parliamentary groups leaders, PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu and members of the Constitutional Court.

After two hours talks, President Basescu gave a press statement saying that he invited the legislative and executive state bodies to find a political solution to the crisis. President Basescu added that he will never put to question any Constitutional Court ruling, therefore the MPs are to provide solutions on the disputed articles of the judiciary bill in such a way that the required steps be undertaken for the reform boosted by the Govt and approved by the EU to become effective.

President Basescu underlined that however he will ask again the Constitutional Court ruling on the resulting bill after Parliament's mediation.

Following the meeting at Cotroceni Palace, PM Tariceanu admitted that political solution is still possible and said that his resignation is no longer imminent.

President Traian Basescu said to 'Realitatea TV' he would still support the idea of early elections even if, in his opinion, the right timing for early polls was before summer holidays.

One should remember that recently Tariceanu's cabinet asked for a confidence vote in the Parliament on a bill package regarding the reform of the judiciary and property restitution.

Dispite of a massive confidence vote, Social Democrat opposition asked for a Court ruling on the constitutionality of the bill. The Constitutional Court was against some four articles in the bill – i.e. precisely those cutting privileges of judges in the Constitutional Court and some other high-ranking magistrates.

Romania Report