Financiarul

President Traian Basescu, who seeks a new term at the helm of the state with the endorsement of the Liberal Democratic Party (PD-L), estimated on Friday in public radio broadcast that the amendment of the Constitution following the result of the referendum on the downsizing the number of MPs and the switch to a unicameral Parliament can be made in three months, if the necessary political will is in place.

Asked how long it takes to implement the results of the November 22 referendum, given the fact that a new referendum needs to be called on the amendment of the Constitution, Traian Base scu said: “The Romanians want their politicians to be honest. This is the signal we can translate and I am convinced that we will have to quickly implement the results of this referendum because all politicians will be held accountable if they do not consider the Romanians’ will (…) It all depends on the political class. It is feasible within three months.’

The President said that based on the results of this referendum, the politicians should set up the Committee on the Constitution’s revision and introduce the unicameral Parliament and the upper limit for the number of MPs in the fundamental law; a new referendum will have to be called subsequently to validate the move. “This must be done quickly. Sure, other adjustments of the Constitution will also be necessary, but I do not think this is the right moment to discuss them.

What is for certain is that as soon as the policy-makers implement the changes required by citizens to the Constitution, the Fundamental Law will be subject to a new popular vote and if they do not do what is needed, the Romanians will reject the Constitution draft,” said the President. Traian Basescu said that he intends to push for the Constitution to no longer provide any kind of immunity.

“I must tell you that I intend to publicly put pressure, not in the backstage, for all constitutional immunity clauses regarding the President, Ministers, MPs, and for whoever would hold any kind of immunity, to be removed. Not even the magistrates should benefit from immunity. They should no longer equate their status of being non-removable from office with immunity,” said Basescu.
The head of the state also noted that this should be carried out along with the process of reviewing the Constitution, without waiting for a new referendum, “because the Romanians’ option to have immunities removed is clear.’