USL takes over the Parliament

Parliament has canceled, Tuesday, in two sessions, the leaders of the two Chambers, which it replaced with representatives of the USL, after in the morning had dismissed also the Ombudsman.

PDL has already announced it will appeal at the Constitutional Court how these changes have been made, even accusing the current government of coup, according to Radio Romania editor, Andrei Șerban.

Social Democrat Toni Greblă presented in the Senate, met in extraordinary session, why was Vasile Blaga dismissed as head of the liberal democratic legislative body.

Mainly, he was criticized that he used the president position exclusively for the benefit of PDL interests and thus broke the law that requires the head of the Senate to be above the party interests.

About his appointment as President of the Senate, Liberal Antonescu claimed that everything was done legally.

"There was no violation of the Constitution, of Regulations. Democratic liberals, of course, try with all sorts of tricks absurd statements like" coup ", which are not favorable to Romania’s image, Romania's political image, not notes the changing political realities, "said Crin Antonescu.

PDL leader, Vasile Blaga, filed a complaint at the Constitutional Court in connection with his revocation from the chairman of the Senate.

Vasile Blaga mentioned that only the group which proposed as President can change him.

"There are four Constitutional Court decisions that say, black on white, that on the parliamentary group I belong may request my dismissal," said Vasile Blaga.

Changing the heads of the two houses of Parliament, "will be challenged"

There followed an extraordinary session of the Chamber of Deputies, in which was removed from her position of President Roberta Anastase, from PDL.

The central reason cited by the power was that Roberta Anastase did not respect the parliamentary procedure.

Roberta Anastase claimed that, legally, she could not be removed from her position on a proposal of legal Committee.

"There is neither in regulation, nor in the status of deputies and senators the sanction, the stipulation, dismissal as a sanction. So, those from the Judiciary Committee could not propose the revocation of the Chamber of Deputies," said Roberta Anastase.

The new President of the Chamber of Deputies, Social Democrat, Valeriu Zgonea, argued that, from now, it will fundamentally change the way in which this legislative body will function.

"I want to thank those people who felt humiliated in three years and a half and felt that within the Romanian Parliament who leads and has the president function does not represent them, those who felt, by assumptions of liability and by votes counted elsewhere that are not represented in parliament.

This institution is given again to those who represent the sovereignty, the citizens of Romania, "said Valeriu Zgonea.

The decision to withdraw from the President of the Chamber of Deputies will be appealed to the Constitutional Court, as said Roberta Anastase.

Notice of President Traian Băsescu

Amid accusations against the opposition in power, President Traian Băsescu called on Tuesday evening in a press release to political leaders Ponta, Antonescu, Daniel Constantin, Gabriel Oprea and Kelemen Hunor to "cease actions against the Romanian state institutions”, according to Radio Romania editor, Roman Mușat.

The president argued that, in fact, the final target of the parliamentary majority is justice and added that it was time that politicians understand that "in front of justice, politicians are equal to all other citizens".

"I call on the politicians in majority and warn that by breaking the laws of the country and the Constitution of Romania, as well as the Romanian Parliament and regulations, they put the Romanian state and the 22 million Romanians in an extremely difficult situation, on my analysis, similar to that generated by miners from 13 to 15 June 1990.

Also, the effects of government policy actions in recent weeks of the Prime Minister and the parliamentary majority today will have extremely serious economic effects for Romania and the Romanian population, "said Traian Băsescu in a press statement.

USL leaders accused the President for threats to parliament and government

In response, President of PNL, Crin Antonescu said that Băsescu's speech is a threat of political parties and parliament.

He added that the parliament changed by constitutional vote a number of people and nobody can deny this right.

Prime Minister Ponta warned, in turn, President Traian Băsescu to stop the threats to government and with the interventions in parliament activities.

UDMR President, Kelemen Hunor, rejected the head of state’s accusations, showing that EU lawmakers voted none of the changes proposed by USL, even if they were present in Parliament.

"Attacks on the independence of the Constitutional Court"

European Justice Commissioner, Viviane Reding, has expressed the concern over what she calls' recent attacks on the independence of the Constitutional Court of Romania ". In a posting on her Twitter account, she states that "a functioning and independent judiciary is a precondition for mutual respect in the European area of ​​justice".

Also the U.S. Ambassador to Bucharest, Mark Gitenstein, said in a statement that he is worried about what they consider to be threats to the independence of Romania's democratic institutions, particularly of those judiciary.

In exchange, Liberal Social Union argued that there was no question of initiate the revocation of any judge of the Court.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea

MTTLC, Bucharest University