President Traian Basescu holds consultations with parliamentary parties on draft ANI law

Romanian President Traian Basescu started consultations with representatives of parliamentary parties on Monday afternoon on the situation of the National Integrity Agency – ANI, a key anti-corruption body the existence of which came under threat when the Constitutional Court stripped it of some of its most relevant powers. The talks come shortly after the Government approved in a special session a draft law for the continuation of ANI activities.

President Basescu requested representatives of the opposition Social Democratic Party, the first to come to talks at the presidential headquarters, to allow the adoption of the Government projects within 10 days, as Romanian news agency Mediafax reported.

PM Emil Boc previously said that the government wanted with the new bill to secure the continuation of ANI activities by checking the wealth of public officials.

PSD had announced that it would attend the talks with the president, but the Liberals decided not to join any talks called by the head of state until Basescu’s speech proves more „balanced”.

The leader of the PSD, Victor Ponta, said on Monday afternoon that the Government decision to approve a bill on the organisation and functioning of ANI before the talks between the president and the parliamentary parties showed insensitiveness.