Romanian President Basescu warns new interim Justice Minister

President Traian Basescu publicly warned interim Justice Minister Melescanu this weekend that his attitude could be translated as abuse, after Melescanu refused on Friday to launch the criminal procedures against eight former and current ministers, investigated by anti-graft prosecutors. Basescu said that Melescanu’s attitude attempts to postpone the inevitable.

Melescanu was named interim Justice minister not long ago in an attempt to put an end to disputes between Liberal PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu and President Basescu over the previous nomination of Norica Nicolai, a Liberal Senator who Basescu disagrees with, at the helm of the Justice ministry.

Basescu accused that the government protects former Social Democratic (PSD, now in opposition) ministers as there is a clear liaison between the two political parties. Basescu added that the Executive was happy to comply to the law and uphold it only when its members of the party were not involved.

As a reaction, Democrat Liberals (PD-L) president, Emil Boc declared in a press conference that interim Justice Minister Melescanu committed an abuse by returning the files on the eight current and former ministers that received presidential go-on several days ago.

Boc, whose party is the main supporter of President Basescu, added that the President assumed all responsibility in what concerns the files and Melescanu has no right to act as a filter and censor. Boc reiterated the idea put forward by Basescu saying the Melescanu’s move was just an unsuccessful attempt to postpone the investigations.

In the other political camp, Liberal Vice president Norica Nicolai, the party’s nominee for the Justice seat said on Saturday that she would not give up the Justice nomination. She added that the Constitutional Court would next week make public its decision regarding the President’s refusal to appoint her.