Social Democrat Contender: Romania Will Achieve Law And Order After Dec 6 Runoff

"The illegal, brutal and unconstitutional way in which democrat liberal Vasile Blaga was appointed interior minister came as a hard blow for the Romanian Government," Geoana told a press conference Sunday.

He pointed out that, under the Constitution of Romania, an interim minister cannot be appointed to replace a revoked minister, stressing this type of situations must be mended in Parliament.

Geoana also said the acts and orders issued by Blaga as interior minister are likely to be declared null, stressing it goes down to numerous decisions approved by the ministry.

The Bucharest Court of Appeals ruled Friday to suspend the presidential decree by which Blaga replaced social democrat Dan Nica at the headship of the country's Interior Ministry early October.

The decree is suspended until the court rules to annul it. The ruling may be appealed within five days with the High Court of Justice.

On October 1, Romania's President Traian Basescu signed the decrees dismissing Interior Minister Nica and appointing Blaga for interim interior minister.

Nica said on October 5 his dismissal from the headship of the Interior Ministry and the appointment of democrat liberal Development Minister Vasile Blaga as interim interior minister were achieved with two illegal decrees issued by the head of state.

Nica added the interim Government led by Emil Boc functioned illegally as the decree which overthrew him from the leadership of the Interior Ministry used the term revocation, while the decree appointing Blaga as interior minister used the term dismissal. Nica said the two terms differ according to the law on ministers' liability, in the way that revocation entails naming a tenurial minister and not an interim one.

The Interior Ministry organizes and oversees elections. Romania holds a second round of presidential elections Sunday, December 6, when Basescu will compete for a second term against social democrat leader Geoana.

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