Last Saturday it was the first time after more than two years when President Basescu and PM Tariceanu talked for half an hour. After having dismissed the President's invitation to dialogue about the minister of Justice twice, the PM agreed to take the third invitation. The two got together in a protocol villa in Bucharest and tried to persuade each other on the best solution for the ministry's future. The President kept on invoking flaws in Norica Nicolai's professional career, whereas the PM was unrelenting and he told the President he was waiting for him to sign the decree and appoint the Liberal senator a minister of Justice. The PM reminded about the Constitutional Court's decision concerning minister Adrian Cioroianu, according to which the President has got no veto right to appoint a minister. None of them would talk to the press after the encounter, but one thing was certain: the President and the PM didn't agree. According to Liberal sources, the PM phoned Norica Nicolai after the meeting to say that things were the same and the Liberals' choice for her was unchanged. It is to be reminded that last Friday President Basescu had mentioned he would never sign decree to appoint Norica Nicolai a minister, because of the flaws in her career. Address Court or Parliament The solutions Romanian Liberals have got available to make the President appoint the Liberal senator a minister of Justice are: address the Constitutional Court against the President or ask the MPs to vote for or against the proposal. The first possibility the Liberals are considering is address the Constitutional Court. They are counting on the fact that the Court judges reached a decision in the foreign minister's case, arguing that the President had no veto right to appoint a minister (but he might demand the PM to give up his proposal, in case the person recommended didn't meet the legal conditions to become a member of the government). The representatives of both government and presidency are analyzing this possibility. But unlike in minister Cioroianu's case, the head of state is now relying on the negative elements in Norica Nicolai's professional career. The other possibility, address the Parliament, doesn't please many Liberals right now. It would delay the appointing, for the MPs are on holidays and it would involve a change in the ministry's name, as well as talks with the Social-Democrats so that the voting would be in favor of the Liberal candidate. Presidency adviser Cristian Preda has told the Hotnews that the PM has lately refused to collaborate with the President, despite the Constitutional Court's demand. Cristian Preda comments the President has been analyzing Norica Nicolai's candidacy, "obeying the Constitutional Court's decision step by step."

Raluca PAPADOPOL, Cristian ANDREI