President Traian Basescu and PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu are causing new political pandemonium in Romanian. The reason at stake this time is the appointing of Liberal Norica Nicolai a minister of Justice. The country has reached a new political crisis, bursting out because of the President's refusal to appoint the Liberal a minister of Justice and because of the PM's stubborn decision not to give up his proposal. The two officials interpret the Constitutional Court's decision in different ways, even if the Court made a decision on a similar case: the appointing of Adrian Cioroianu a minister of foreign affairs last spring. The fact that Romania hasn't got a minister of Justice at times when the EU institutions are about to release the preliminary report on Romanian Justice and therefore the fact that foreign partners have no one to talk to in the field is making this crisis worse. And this is actually the fifth crisis emerging in the relations between the Tariceanu Cabinet and President Basescu. (...) The PM wouldn't go to Cotroceni Palace PM Tariceanu dismissed yesterday the President's invitation to dialogue on the future minister of Justice. Liberal sources say most PNL (National Liberal Party) leaders advised the PM not to take the President's invitation, since the head of state was breaking the Constitution by not appointing the minister recommended. Some leaders also advised the PM to ask the President to come out and tell the nation about his dissatisfaction with the recommendation for Liberal Norica Nicolai, since his invitation to dialogue had been publicly released too. Romanian Liberals think that, had PM Tariceanu gone to Cotroceni Palace, it would have legitimated the President's initiative. Liberal sources argue: "Traian Basescu's initiative is new hooligan action meant to get political capital. All Basescu wants is get more credibility by giving the PM hard times. To take the deceitful invitation from Presidency would mean to enter the President's game." Norica Nicolai is unacceptable proposal Yesterday President Basescu reiterated his determination not to appoint Norica Nicolai a minister. He said it in front of the Superior Council of Magistracy. Although he was in the latter institution's building, the President replied to the PM indirectly. The PM had mentioned that the story with the Liberal senator's niece voting in the Parliament instead of her aunt was no major reason why Norica Nicolai shouldn't be appointed a minister, since the President too had been involved in controversial cases such as the Fleet and the house in Mihaileanu street. The President argued: "I won't appoint a minister of Justice someone lacking a stainless professional and moral career. There are many who have said that I too was involved in... Well, I was elected and I have my qualities and my flaws. But a minister of Justice... I won't sign like a notary, under any circumstances, for a person. A President isn't a notary." The President still thinks the Constitution shows he is right. He is relying on the fact that in the Constitution there is stipulated that the PM proposes a minister and the head of state decides on it by means of a decree to appoint a minister. (...)

Adrian ILIE, Razvan GHEORGHE