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| ROMANIA AFTER THE PRESIDENT’S SUSPENSION (20.04.2007) |
| (2007-04-20) |
| Last updated: 2007-04-20 15:47 EET |
After 5 hours of debates, Romanian parliamentarians decided, by 322 to 108, to suspend president Traian Basescu. The decision came after months of discussions, debates, accusations and hearings by an expert parliamentary committee set up to investigate the allegations made by the opposition, according to which the president violated the constitution. Although the Constitutional Court returned a negative opinion, albeit a consultative one, arguing that Basescu is not responsible for serious violations of the Constitution that could lead to his impeachment, Parliament in Bucharest has ruled otherwise. Soon after this decision, a first in Romanian politics, thousands of the president’s supporters took to the streets across the country. The president’s first reaction to Parliament’s decision was made from amidst his supporters, who gathered in University Square:
“I assure you that I will not abandon the Romanian people, but in the coming period you will see many people on TV telling all kinds of stories. Be convinced that I have never violated the Constitution in my activity as president, and the pressure which I have often placed on the government to do its job was a result of my obligation as president, to represent the interests of those who voted for me.”
The Liberal Prime Minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, whose relationship with the president has for a long time been fraught with mutual accusations of corruption, made his own appeal to the people:
“We should avoid transferring political conflicts to the streets, because violence and conflicts taken to the streets will not solve anything. I would therefore like to make an appeal for normality, to understand that these conflicts will be overcome and that solutions will be found for Romania to move forward.”
The government is to organize a referendum on the president’s impeachment in the interim period, during which the presidential office will be held by speaker of the Senate, Nicolae Vacaroiu, a member of the party that initiated the impeachment procedures. There’s also another option, namely for the president to resign, which means that early presidential elections will be organized in the following three months. As expected, Thursday’s political developments in Romania were picked up by the international media across the world. Almost 4 months after its entry into the European Union, Romania is without a president, writes Le Monde, covering the political crisis in Bucharest and the open war between the president and the Prime Minister. Traian Basescu’s impeachment could intensify the political battle, says Reuters, citing analysts who believe that the president’s impeachment is in fact an attempt by the Social Democratic Party to regain power and the public support, after being seriously affected by corruption scandals. The Financial Times writes that the president’s suspension may lead not only to early presidential elections, but also to early parliamentary elections. The International Herald Tribune and the Associated Press recall that Traian Basescu is a popular leader and can win a new term in office. In Bucharest, the daily Cotidianul headlines: “Elected by the people, suspended by the elected”. The daily Curentul writes that the Romanians experienced “A day of national shame” after what happened in Parliament. Evenimentul Zilei headlines: “The headless country”, while the daily Ziua writes on its first page: “Breaking news on CNN and the BBC”. The same paper contains a warning from Brussels: “Careful of the country’s stability!”
(Roxana Vasile)
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