Romania’s Constitutional Court ruled in favour of Romania’s President and Justice Minister (Feb 22, 2007)

Feb 22, 2007 (Romania Report)

The Constitutional Court decided on Wednesday that the Justice Minister, Monica Macovei, doesn't have to be sacked due to the simple motion against her, passed by the Senate last week.

During the same session, the Court decided that the Parliamentarian amendments to the Referendum Law were anti-Constitutional. Therefore, MPs cannot oust President Basescu unless half plus one of the registered voters approve the impeachment by a referendum.

An anti-Basescu new majority in the Parliament recently passed a bill to make easier the sacking of President – as only a simple majority at the polls was to be enough to remove the head of state from his office.

The decision the Court took today is final and mandatory.

On Thursday, PM Tariceanu praised the Court’s rule and said he will keep Mrs. Macovei in the Cabinet.

President Basescu is known for his pro-NATO and pro-U.S. foreign policy, while his domestic policy is chiefly based on a resolute crackdown against top level corruption. Mrs. Macovei is the main President’s ally in his bid to implement reform of the judicial system.

The Social-Democrat leaders said they still want PM Tariceanu to remove Macovei from office.

On another hand, the conflict between the President and the PM (supposed to allies) reached the peak, as during a TV talk show on Tuesday, Mr. Basescu openly accused PM Tariceanu (Liberal) of being a hypocrite and of protecting the country’s energy sector corrupt system.



Romania Report