Romanian Pres Rejects PM Proposition For Justice Min

"Esteemed Prime Minister, I hereby ask you to give up on proposing Norica Nicolai for the position of justice minister, since the negative public perception regarding the previous deeds in which Nicolai was involved as senator will not increase confidence in Romanian justice, among the people as well as among our foreign partners," said the letter, sent to MEDIAFAX by the Press Office of the Presidency.

 

The head of state feels that the position of justice minister implies more than the achievement of legal requirements for any position within the Government. In his opinion, the position of justice minister implies, among other things, "a clean reputation and morality," considering the fact the justice minister is also a member of the High Council of the Magistrates, a structure formed of magistrates, which needs to show honor that cannot be dented by any deed, "especially one of public notoriety."

"In addition, since the justice minister is also a member of the Supreme Council for National Defense, I will grant special attention to the nomination for this position," Basescu added.

He states that, unfortunately, "the reputation of Nicolai was dented" by her involvement in the incident where one of her relatives entered the Senate hall, through a violation of regulations. "This event generated the impression that Nicolai’s relative exercised a voting right it did not possess, substituting for the senator, in an illegal fashion, but with Nicolai’s approval. Moreover, to my knowledge, senator Norica Nicolai was sanctioned with a warning for these deeds," the president added. He mentioned that, public exposure of Nicolai’s actions resulted in a negative reaction from public opinion.

"As for your decision, I remind you that Romania is still monitored by the European Commission, and the perspectives of the future report are not of a nature that would allow us to be shallow in the matter of justice, given the involutions generated on the one hand by the activity of the previous justice minister, and on the other hand by the issue of Emergency Ordinances and laws by the Government and Parliament. I would like to mention that I do not anticipate the activation of the safeguard clause for justice, and I am only asking you to find or, to join me in finding, solutions to diminish the perception of our European partners that, after the accession to the EU, we have stopped observing our commitments," the letter says.

He also said that he rejects the candidature with respect for the provisions of the Constitution and those of Decision no. 356/2007 of the Constitutional Court.

 

Government spokesperson Camelia Spataru told MEDIAFAX that the text of the letter is analyzed by the jurists of the Executive, while an official answer will be known Wednesday.

Romanian politicians commented Basescu’s request.

The vice-president of the National liberal Party, MP Crin Antonescu, said that the letter is “a great abuse,” since it expresses the refusal of the head of state to acknowledge a new justice minister.

 

According to him, the president is not meant to evaluate the public image of the various politicians, and the Constitutional Court has already made a decision regarding the attributions of the head of state.

 

“I regret that the political year begins with a new scandal and I find it embarrassing that Traian Basescu did not make this opinion public as soon as Norica Nicolai was nominated ,” Antonescu concluded.

 

The executive vice-president of the Greater Romania Party, Lucian Bolcas, stated that Basescu uses all means, even if they are beyond the Constitution and laws, to obstruct the activity of the Government and of the institutions of the state in general.

 

Bolcas said that this is Basescu’s way of continuing his obstructionist and politically partisan conduct against the image of the National Liberal Party.

 

He mentioned that, in this case, the presidential decree is exclusively representative, since the president cannot refuse to sign such a decree, regardless of the arguments he brings.

 

Bolcas added that if this is the starting point, that the president is allowed to refuse to sign a decree, then he is the one who forms the Government, which goes against the spirit of the Constitution.

 

Romanian Democratic Liberal Party vice-president Theodor Stolojan explained that the head of state has “well founded” reasons to reject the nomination of Noricai Nicolai as justice minister, one of the reasons being, in his opinion, Nicolai’s connection to businessman Dinu Patriciu.

 

Stolojan recalled the moment of conflict between Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu and former justice minister Monica Macovei, when Tariceanu called Macovei to have a talk with Dinu Patriciu.