Constitution "in contradiction with political reality"

President Traian Băsescu declared on Monday in the parliament, that those articles of the draft revision of the Constitution which were not accepted by the Constitutional Court may be rephrased by MPs so they are accepted.

Băsescu explained that the constitutional revision aims at transposing the result of the 2009 referendum and added that it proposes a system of regulations "more efficient", enabling the Parliament to truly exercise its role of legislative authority.

The Romanian President said that currently, the constitutional provisions are inconsistent with the political reality because on the one hand, the President is required to be neutral with respect to political parties, on the other hand the President may be suspended by a majority in Parliament.

"It is clear that even the text of the Constitution compels the President, desiring to exercise their mandate and achieve their objectives, to ensure a majority in Parliament.
Otherwise, there is no possibility, no mandate to exercise or to carry out at least part of the program that won the elections", Traian Băsescu said.

Băsescu also stated that institutions cannot operate properly unless they have an institutional framework to define precisely the role and powers, and especially the limitations.

He told the MPs present that they are required to meet the result of the 2009 Referendum.

"I trust your wisdom and remind you that our duty as responsible politicians, is to contribute to the modernization of the Romanian constitutional system and at the same time, we have the political obligation to respond to the imperatives of the November 2009 Referendum", Traian Băsescu said.

--fb1Administrative Reorganization

Regarding the administrative reorganization, the Romanian President said he would not consider this issue abandoned and claimed that government agencies and county councils "are stifling" local administrations.

The Head of State considers the governmental agencies should be reduced and the authority transferred to the local government, and space for the development of regional projects should be created.

Meanwhile, the President called for depolitization of public administration.

"Please look at your prefectures sites, you will find that every county has at least 44 - 45 structures of the ministries and national agencies.

"People in "89 was not even half. What modernization of the state we are discussing, if all these 20 years, although decentralization is made, we have established ongoing agencies?" said Traian Băsescu.

The leadership of the Chamber of Deputies decided on Monday that the draft revision of the Constitution will be discussed, starting 1September, by the Judiciary Committee of the Chamber.

"It should be passed in 60 days", said Chamber Vice President Ioan Oltean.

Vice President Chamber of Deputies said that the enactment must follow the usual procedure for debate.

"If the Judiciary Committee Members will request to work during the summer, the Bureau of the Chamber will consider this", Liberal Democrat Ioan Oltean said.

The opposition was not present at the President's speech.

The opposition Social Democrat Party, National Liberal Party and Conservative Party did not attend the speech of President of the Romanian Parliament.

The opposition met in order to reiterate its position to keeping the counties in terms of territorial reorganization and to discuss the constitutional revision.

In their view, this can be done after the next elections when the new parliament will have legitimacy.

Translated by: Denisse-Meda Bucura
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University