Romanian Government to take responsibility for the cut in pensions and salaries today

Luni, 7 iunie 2010, 10:49 English | Top News

The Boc Cabinet in Romania is expected to announce this afternoon that the Government is taking responsibility for the austerity measures. The announcement is expected on Monday, June 7, 2010, at the Parliament, after 16 o'clock. The Executive's members are getting together this morning to discuss the amendments the senators and deputies brought to the two law drafts, which see, among other details, for the 25% axe in salaries in the public sector and the 15% cut in pensions.

An informal meeting that lasted three hours took place on Sunday evening. Romanian President Traian Basescu, PM Emil Boc and Liberal-Democrat Party (PD-L) parliamentary groups were present.

LibDem sources told HotNews.ro that President Traian Basescu told PDL members present at the meeting in Snagov that PM Boc "has been sabotaged by his own Cabinet" and that PD-L many members might be influenced by PSD (the Social-Democratic Party). The chief of state gave MPs an ultimatum: either they back the government or they leave for the opposition.

According to the constitution, the Government may take responsibility for a programme, a general policy statement or a law draft, before the Chamber of Deputies and Senate, joint in a meeting.

The constitution also entails that the Executive will be considered sacked if the censorship motion will be submitted within three days from the introduction of the law draft and voted by most senators and deputies, namely 236 MP votes. The censorship motion needs to be initiated by at least one quarter of the total number of deputies and senators.

PSD announced that the party will submit a censorship motion against the Boc Cabinet within three days, and the other opposition party, namely the Liberal party (PNL) announced they will vote any motion against the Executive.