How to suspend the President: Romanian case

Dossier Basescu

Reuters states on January 23 that the Romanian Government is on the edge of collapse, only three weeks after joining the European Union, endangering the country's hope of obtaining quick benefits after the integration. The Conservative Party announces that wishes the suspension of president Traian Basescu, using as arguments not the famous notes but the evidences that accuse the head of the state of undermining the national economy as well as of false statements


By IOANA EMINA DUMITRASCU
from Bucharest, ROMANIA


Romania had a serious political crisis in the first half of the year. Some political parties asked for the suspension of President Traian Basescu by accusing him of traffic of influence, saying that the president also asked the former minister of economy in a note to intervene in favor of a group of interest. At the end, the referendum for the dismissal of president was held and Basescu was re-elected. But here is a short chronology...

11th January 2007 - The Executive secretary of the Democratic Party (PD), Elena Udrea declares that while she was the advisor of the Romanian President, Prime-Minister Călin Popescu Tăriceanu sent, in the spring of 2005, to the president Traian Băsescu "a letter in which he was asking the president to intervene to the General Attorney for Dinu Patriciu (...)" The next day Prime Minister Călin Popescu Tăriceanu denies the accusations.

17th January 2007 - During the press conference, the Romanian president shows the famous letter and its content in front of the cameras. The next day, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader, Mircea Geoană, announces that his party will start the procedure for suspending the president. The social democratic party asks for the demission of the President and Prime Minister and for the self notification of the Justice about the accusations for their acts. The chief of the Conservative Party (PC), Dan Voiculescu, accuses the Romanian president of traffic of influence, saying that the president also asked the former minister of economy in a note to intervene in favor of a group of interest. Another Romanian party, "Romania Mare" (PRM), asks for the demission of the President and the Prime Minister and for organizing new presidential and parliamentary elections. The vice-president of the Liberal Party (PNL) declares, at the end of the party meeting, that the Liberal Party still supports the prime minister and that the party is asking the president to come back in his actions in a constitutional framework.

20th January 2007 - The Social Democratic Party announces that the party leaders establish to create a committee in charge of finishing the notice towards the Constitutional Court regarding the suspension of President Basescu.

23rd January 2007- Reuters states that the Romanian Government is on the edge of collapse, only three weeks after joining the European Union, endangering the country's hope of obtaining quick benefits after the integration. The Conservative Party announces that wishes the suspension of president Traian Basescu, using as arguments not the famous notes but the evidences that accuse the head of the state of undermining the national economy as well as of false statements.

26th January 2007- The Social Democrat Party states that the party officials managed to obtain the votes of at least one third of the members of Parliament, necessary for starting the procedure of suspending president Traian Basescu. Next day Democrat Party declares that if the Liberal Party will sustain the PSD initiative of suspending president Traian Basescu, the D.A. Alliance has no justification.

5th February 2007 - PSD announces that the jurists of the party finalized the form of the notice that will be sent to the Constitutional Court in trying to obtain the president suspension, the notice having 30 accusing charges.

10th February 2007 - The Democratic Party states that if, in case of referendum, the President is reconfirmed, the Constitutional Court should settle if the Parliament should be remitted and new elections organized. The PSD approved the notice sent to the Constitutional Court regarding the beginning of the procedures of suspending the President. The PSD leaders handed to the ambassadors of 20 EU and NATO states the same notice sent to the Parliament, regarding the suspension.

14th February 2007 - President Traian Basescu announces the procedure of organizing a referendum for introducing the uninominal vote.

26th February 2007- The vice president of PSD announces that the social-democrats will not support the creation of a parliamentary commission for conducting an inquiry for suspending the president. The Parliament approves the creation of a commission for conducting an inquiry for suspending the president.

21st March 2007 - Dan Voiculescu, president of the enquiry commission announces that the report presented by the commission concludes that the head of the state violated the Constitution and he is also involved in criminal actions. The Deputies agreed with 198 votes "for", 46 "against" and 2 abstentions, to the Referendum Act by which the president's dismissal can be achieved with a majority of the citizen's votes.

5th April 2007 - The Constitutional Court agreed by majority of votes that the proposition of suspending the president "refers to acts and actions of violating the Constitution, which took place during his mandate which, through their content and consequences can not be categorized as severe violations, meant to determine the suspension of the Romanian president (...)", remaining that the Parliament should decide on the gravity of the actions upon which the suspension proposal is based on. The Court gave a negative notice to the suspension proposal.

17th April 2007 - The president organized a press conference in which he officially stated that he will resign if the Parliament will continue with the suspension procedures. Mircea Geoana accuses the president of asking the secret services for compromising information about the judges of the Constitutional Court, supporting its statement with two notes of the Romanian Intelligence Agency. The Agency denies saying that those are only "bureau notes" during an internal investigation. The president announces that he will not take part in the Parliament session in which the suspension will be discussed and begins with the accusations against the anti-presidential coalition.

19th April 2007 - The Parliament decides on the suspension of the president with 322 votes "for", 108 "against" and 10 abstentions. The Presidency confirms that Traian Basescu will go at 6 pm to the rally in the University Square which began at 2pm. Prime Minister Tariceanu publicly asks Traian Basescu to resign saying that he doesn't have the moral right to run for a new mandate anymore. Mircea Geoana declares that Traian Basescu shouldn't run for a new mandate. The official documents of the suspension are sent to the Constitutional Court

2nd May 2007 - IMAS present the most recent Public Opinion Barometer, the results looking like this:

3rd May 2007 - The Constitutional Court decides that the president can only be dismissed by referendum by the majority of the voters. Next few days several Romanian associations from Spain organized rallies in order to support the suspended President, in Madrid and Castellon. Traian Basescu took part in those rallies along with Monica Macovei, Anca Boagiu and Sebastian Lazaroiu. The Democrats ask for the Parliament dissolution and the government resignation after the 19th May referendum. The Democratic Party presented its intention of initiating a review of the Constitution in case the president returns. DP whishes the auto-dissolution of the Parliament in case the referendum avoids the suspension decision. Marko Bela declared that UDMR will mobilize its voters in order to dismiss Traian Basescu

16th May 2007 - Traian Basescu presented under the name "The country's priorities, my priorities", the priorities he will follow after returning as chief of state. These are:

- modifying the electoral act for introducing the uninominal vote
- extending the reform in the educational system and continuing the one in the public health system
- upgrading the family doctors and the treatment in a non-beaurocratic way
- assuring the competition and functional markets, transparency by sustaining privatization
- Reforestation in the south of the country and Dobrogea
- The necessity of creating new law for Romanian citizenship
- New acts regarding national security

16th May 2007 - Romania's acting president, Nicolae Vacaroiu signs several decrees of dismissals. Three acts are promulgated.

20th May 2007 - The Central Electoral Office communicates the results of the referendum of the 19th May for the dismissal of president Traian Basescu.


Sources: Ovidiu Sincai Institute Report, Adevarul, Evenimentul Zilei