The Parliament failed yesterday to decide on the Romanian President's proposal to arrange referendum on the uninominal vote. Although there were 233 votes for it, coming from members of all the parties, except for the UDMR (Democrat Union of Magyars in Romania) and the PRM ("Greater Romania" Party), 234 were needed for the bill to pass. This is why the Parliament can't respond to the President. The Parliament's approval of such a referendum is of consultative nature only, so that a referendum may take place without the parliamentarians' consent. Yesterday's voting confused senators and deputies and they couldn't agree on an interpretation. Bogdan Olteanu, chair of the session, announced the Permanent Committees of both Chambers would have to write another version of the project on Basescu's solicitation and the voting would take place again. Some deputies thought the proposal failed because of the insufficient number of votes. The representatives of the opposition and of the UDMR too proved solidarity at who was the guilty. They pointed to the "ambiguity" of Basescu's solicitation, arguing that there was no juridical definition of the uninominal vote and therefore what the President wanted couldn't be grasped. (...) Social-Democrat Serban Nicolae claimed there was a conflict of constitutionality in the Parliament's decision. According to constitutional norms, he argued, the President's solicitation is thought to be adopted because most of the attendants voted for it. But according to the referendum law, he continued, the number of votes was insufficient. He mentioned the Social-Democrats asked the juridical committees to express opinion and find a solution to the conflict. The UDMR and the PRM were categorical against the President's wish. The UDMR representatives even announced they would advise their electors not to participate in referendum.

Raluca PAPADOPOL