The President of Romania Traian Basescu accused Liberal Bogdan Olteanu, a speaker for the Chamber of Deputies, of preventing "The Official Monitor" from publishing the Constitutional Court's decision on the dismemberment of the Cotroceni Commission, thus putting at a standstill a decision of the Romanian President's concerning former and present ministers authorities asked for permission to investigate on. As for the Romanian Justice minister Tudor Chiuariu, he has already announced that he is considering resignation. The head of state argued that Liberal Bogdan Olteanu stopped the Constitutional Court's decision from being printed with no motivation at all. Since it is the head of state who decides whether criminal inquiry against a minister opens or not, not to publish the decision at stake means to save some more time. The ministers likely to be under criminal investigations have thus got a way to resign. It is to be reminded that one week ago President Traian Basescu demanded PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu to dismiss the Justice minister Tudor Chiuariu and the labor minister Paul Pacuraru at once, for authorities had asked that they should get under criminal investigations. But the Romanian PM replied claiming he had different priorities to see to, related to economic and social matters. Minister Paul Pacuraru claimed yesterday that he had not been announced about a request concerning his resignation. As for the Justice minister who has admitted that he is thinking about resignation, he argues that this would be the effect of the failure to pass the ordinance on the modification of the law on the National Integrity Agency.

Anca HRIBAN