Former Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea, former Interior Minister announced on Friday that he will resign from the position of senator.
“I don’t hide behind the immunity and, as well as Gigina’s family, I wish the truth regarding that accident. I understand that judicial opinions are different regarding the possibility of resuming the vote. Therefore I announce my resignation from the Romania Senate, in order to vanish all the doubts. The procedure will be completed next week, according to the Regulation,” Oprea wrote on Friday, on his Facebook page.
Iohannis: I’m not sure about resuming vote, but Sen. Oprea could step down
Senator Gabriel Oprea, former Interior minister could step down to ‘stress-relieve situation’, said on Friday president Klaus Iohannis, at Campulung-Muscel, in Arges County, on situation of senator Oprea.
“In my opinion, the Parliament should not vote on somebody’s guilt or innocence, be they MP or minister or former minister, this is what a court of law decides. The situation we are now facing, of Senator Oprea is a situation that cannot be easily tense-released and cannot be easily solved. I’m not sure there is a procedural possibility to resume voting in the Senate, but there is a possibility for the person involved to resign, if they want the situation stress-relieved,” said Iohannis.
He added he was very worried to see so many people protesting on Thursday night against the vote given in case of Sen. Oprea.
“The people have a right to be outraged. I mean, how do the Members of the Parliament admit to protect someone through their vote?! Should the one is innocent his innocence will be settled in a court of law. Things have reached a zone where they shouldn’t have gotten. I’m very sad I’m pained that the Senate after so many discussions on this matter didn’t get the point. The senators further vote at their party’s command without considering the need for transparency and openness, including the fact that in the Senate there are so many persons with an open anti-justice speech, this is outrageous and I believe that the voter should understand that it is up to them. The voter could fix this matter. There are parties that have somewhat got it that they need this necessity of reform and there are parties that wouldn’t understand that Romania is heading to a rule of law and transparence and should the voter wishes to participate in this refreshing process, then they have but to vote parties that do not include criminals on their lists and never cast their vote for the parties that preserve criminals on their lists, with the risk of significant popular dissatisfactions,” said the head of state while in the southern Arges County in the events that celebrated 100 years since Romania entered the First World War, the Great War as it is well-known worldwide.
