The Committee for the revision of the Constitution introduced yesterday a new situation in which the Parliament can be dissolved if the proposal of impeaching the president, made by the members of the Parliament, is rejected by the majority of voters.
The amendment was initiated by PNL and the Constitutional Forum and was adopted with 17 votes to 4 and 2 abstentions. Among those who did not agree were the MPs of PDL and PPDD. Thus is introduced a new paragraph of the article regarding the mechanism of impeaching the president through referendum. Following debates, the chairman of the revision committee, Crin Antonescu put to vote the amendment, which was adopted in a modified form: “On condition that the referendum is validated and if half plus one of the validly cast ballots, in the conditions of a valid referendum, reject the impeachment proposal, then the Parliament is dissolved.”
Also yesterday, the Constitution revision committee adopted an amendment initiated by PNL which provides that the specialised structures of the autonomous central public administration which are under parliamentary control, reporting to the government or ministries, can be set up only through law. The amendment cumulated 17 YAYs and 2 NAYs.
Another amendment adopted yesterday, at the initiative of PNL, prohibits the adoption of emergency ordinances regarding the regime of crimes, punishments and sentences.
The revision committee also adopted an amendment that shortens from 45 to 30 days the time interval in which the House of the Parliament which is notified first must pronounce over legal initiatives, and the deadline for codes and other complex laws is diminished from 60 to 45 days.
CSM president might come in the revision committee Wednesday
The chairman of the Committee for the revision of the Constitution, Crin Antonescu said Monday that he talked with the president of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) about the participation of CSM representatives in the proceedings of the committee, adding that topics related to the judiciary system might be discussed today. Antonescu mentioned that he already talked with CSM president Oana Schmidt Haineala about attending the proceedings of the Constitution revision committee.
“Depending on their schedule, we will decide when they will come. I believe, for example, that Wednesday – a day probably dedicated to the chapter on the judiciary system, which I presume is of highest interest for them – is a very good such example and they are invited,” the PNL leader explained.
He added that the CSM representatives may attend any session of the committee, where they may also come with proposals.
According to Antonescu, the president of Romania will have executive prerogatives and may preside over cabinet meetings, but the attributions of this office are clarified and the person that will take over this position will no longer be “the manager of a socialist factory.”
UDMR unhappy
UDMR will not support the next Constitution if it is less coherent than the previous one, the president of the Union, Kelemen Hunor warned yesterday on RFI, while criticising the alert pace at which amendments are adopted by the parliamentary committee in charge with revising the fundamental law. “The pace dictated these days, the way of approach and the insufficient public debate, the lack of transparency – these all worry me. In certain segments, some chapters, regulations go the wrong way. I give an example about administrative-territorial units: enforcing yet another administrative level between present counties and the central government, the regions. As far as I am concerned and we are concerned, it is a fatal mistake on a long-term to increase bureaucracy, public expenses, and do so that everything that meant failure concerning the regions of economic development is strengthened by turning these regions into administrative regions, into administrative-territorial regions,” Kelemen Hunor said.
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