|
RRI newsletter subcription
(e-mail address):
|
 |
Archives:
|
|
| THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND PARLIAMENT CONTINUES 22/10/2009 |
| (2009-10-22) |
| Last updated: 2009-10-23 15:42 EET |
On the one hand, we have the incumbent president, Traian Basescu, supported by the Liberal Democratic Party, and on the other the remaining parliamentary parties, namely the Social Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, and the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania.
Two episodes in this conflict have taken place in Parliament. In one such case, Parliament has given its negative opinion on the president’s proposal to hold, on election day, a referendum on the creation of a single chamber Parliament and the reduction in the number of parliamentarians from 471 to 300. Parliament, however, only plays a consultative role in this, and Traian Basescu has decided to go ahead with the plan to hold a referendum.
The president sees this referendum as a component of his state reform project which he admits he hasn’t’ been able to carry through in his first term in office. Political opponents accuse the president of wanting to exploit people’s negative perception of Parliament to win more votes. The president replied to these accusations by saying that a referendum is the expression of people’s sovereignty, and law makers should not ignore the will of the nation. Constitutional law experts doubt that the current provisional government, which has limited powers, can organise a referendum. Law professor Ioan Stanomir:
“Given that parliament has given its negative opinion and that some time ago a regulation on the organisation of the referendum was also criticised and rejected by Parliament, it’s difficult to imagine how these plans can be carried through. The provisional government has to deal with current important issues and it remains to be seen if holding a referendum falls under this category.”
Another episode in the conflict between the president and his adversaries, the Social Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania and the group of ethnic minorities occurred when the latter approved in Parliament, after the Liberal Democrats had walked out of the room, a declaration in which they endorse the Sibiu mayor Klaus Johannis for the position of prime minister. They believe he is a much better option than the president’s choice, Lucian Croitoru.
This declaration is a first in democratic Romania and plays an exclusively political role. Johannis’ supporters say Traian Basescu’s interpretation of the constitution was too rigid, even abusive, when he appointed a prime minister who has no parliamentary support, thus ignoring the proposal of a clear and transparent majority. The president believes, however, that the declaration adopted by the opposition has no legal value, because the pro-Johannis alliance in Parliament has not been registered in court.
|
|
| |
WMA |
|
64kbps : |
1
2
3
|
|
|
128kbps : |
1
2
3
|
| |
MP3 |
|
|
64kbps : |
1
2
3
|
|
|
128kbps : |
1
2
3
|
| |
AAC+ |
|
|
48kbps : |
1
2
3
|
|
|
64kbps : |
1
2
3
|
 Historical mascot of
RRI |
| |
© 1999 - 2011 Copyright Radio Romania International |
|
2025-04-03
Print
Listen again