Romanian MPs Reject Prosecution Against Fmr Minister Ridzi

Lawmakers cast 99 votes in favor of prosecution, 109 votes against and 14 MPs abstained. Prosecutors' request for approval to search the former minister's computers received 109 votes in favor, 110 against and three abstentions.

Ridzi said the vote against prosecutors' requests was "just".

Ridzi had asked MPs before the vote to consider the recommendation of the Chamber's committee for legal matters, which voted against her prosecution.

President Traian Basescu called on lawmakers Tuesday to approve prosecutors' requests in the cases of Ridzi and Dan Pasat, both of the ruling Democratic Liberal Party, and let justice take its course. The head of state said there are some EU countries that may use Romania's inefficient justice system as a pretext to block the country's accession to the Schengen area.

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