Former European Parliament President Pat Cox said at a meeting with Romanian politicians on Thursday that are precedents in the European Union regarding the simultaneous organization of European elections and other ballots.

Cox gave Ireland as an example, where in 2004, authorities simultaneously organized local elections, a referendum to change the Constitution and the European elections.

Cox comments come as President Traian Basescu called a referendum on Constitutional changes to be held simultaneously with European elections due to take place in the country on November 25.

Several European officials have taken a stand on the simultaneous organization of the two ballots in Romania - the European elections and a referendum on the introduction of an uninominal voting system in the country.

European Socialists vice-president Jan Marinus Wiersma told Radio France International that the decision was “uninspired”. He argued that the action translated in a lack of respect towards the European Parliamentary elections.

On the other hand, EP President Hans-Gert Pottering and President of the European Popular Party, Wilfried Martens say they do not see any conflicting issue in organizing the European Parliament elections and the referendum on the same day.

However, they both argue that local political issues should not eclipse the European ones.