Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis in a press statement on April 1 confirmed that a public referendum would be organized on May 26, when European elections are held as well. Iohannis said that he would ask the Parliament’s consent for “extending the scope of the referendum”.

The Parliament endorsed president Klaus Iohannis' plan to hold a referendum “on the continuation of the anti-corruption fight” on February 13, 2017. The president announced the plan the day after he attended a massive rally in Bucharest (in February 2017) against the Government’s plans to use an emergency decree to amend criminal legislation, partly decriminalizing abuse of office. Two years later, after the ruling coalition headed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) repeatedly amended the justice laws by emergency procedures and dismissed head anticorruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, president Iohannis reiterated his idea.

In his April 1 press conference, Iohannis warned the Government not to issue an emergency ordinance to amend the Criminal Code and the regulations used for criminal investigations until “the people have their say”. There should be a legal way to appeal these emergency ordinances to the Constitutional Court as well, Iohannis added.

He blamed the ruling coalition for the “assault against justice” carried through emergency ordinances drafted and passed with no prior consultations, in the least transparent manner.

Meanwhile, the PSD accused Iohannis of using this referendum in electoral purposes, to move the debate from themes such as the economy and the Romanians’ incomes. The party’s representatives also said that emergency ordinances were the only solution to avoid their initiatives being blocked by the president.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)