Deputies decided to debate the request of the anti graft prosecutors to extend the penal investigation and the IT search in the Ridzi case. The decision of the Parliament comes a day after President Basescu urged the governing coalition to push forward this matter. Deputies get ready to cast a secret vote.

UPDATEThe request of the anti graft prosecutors was rejected with 109 votes against, 99 votes for and 14 canceled. The request of anti graft prosecutors for an IT search was rejected by 110 votes against, 109 votes for and 3 canceled.

PDL groupd leader declared for news television Realitatea TV that he indicated to his colleagues to vote in favor of the antigraft prosecutor's request. PSD leader Victor Ponta declared that PSD voted for the two requests of the anti graft prosecutors.

Monica Iacob Ridzi asked her colleagues to vote against the request of the anti graft prosecutors. The former minister addressed the Parliament before the vote. Here are her most important declarations

  • Your positive vote on the Judicial Committee report is asked for (the Judicial Committee rejected the requests of anti graft prosecutors). I will not make use of my state of health. I am sure that you will think this over before casting a vote and will analyze all judicial aspects of the case. I hope you will not ignore the abuses of the prosecutors 

  • If back in July 2009 I urged you to approve the penal investigation against me, now, due to derails in the investigation I urge you to take act of the vote of the Judicial Committee 

  • Ministerial immunity is a guarantee and not a solution to avoid invesgigations. A vote in favor of the anti graft prosecutors' request would be a dangerous precedent. 

  • I trust that you will not be influence by the impulse to turn the Monica Iacob Ridzi case in an example to prove the fight against big corruption 

Here is what the Opposition Parliamentarians declared at the debates in the Parliament

Alina Gorgiu PNL

  • I am surprised by the request of Ms. Ridzi. It's been one year and a half since PDL postponed the debate of the anti-graft prosecutors. We are all equal in front of the law. 

Mircea Toader PDL

  • The Parliament should not be a court. We do not appreciate who is guilty or not. The judicial Committee should not have made a judgment on the matter. PDL sustained that the act of justice needs to be done according to the rule of law. PDL will sustain the requests of the anti graft prosecutors