Resolution adopted by the EPP Political Assembly (12th September 2014)
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The Presidency of the European People’s Party is concerned by the fact that the Romanian socialist government is changing the electoral law by emergency ordinance less than six months before the Presidential election, which is against the recommendations of the Venice Commission.
The Romanian Government approved an emergency ordinance that gives the mayors and councilmen 45 days to choose to join a different party, other than the one from which they were elected in office without losing their seat, as was the case previously. The provision of Local Elected Stats no. 393/2004 will therefore be suspended for a period of 45 days. With this suspension, the political parties in power will blackmail the mayors and councilmen from the opposition and put them under pressure using the EU and governmental funds abundances in exchange for joining their parties. Also, a few weeks ago the Government of Romania issued another emergency ordinance to modify on organic law and create the premises for electoral tourism and multiple votes. The EPP is highly concerned that the legalization of massive political migration by blackmailing with governmental funds will lead to political corruption, legal insecurity as well as deception of citizens only two months ahead of the presidential elections.
We express our deep concerns about legislating such complex issues via emergency ordinances, which take force immediately, and circumvents the national parliament, hence bypasses active legislation and threatens the rule of law in Romania. Furthermore, the only institution entitled to appeal the emergency ordinance and bring it before the Constitutional Court is the ombudsman whose independence and integrity are questionable given his past actions. A procedure as the one chose by the Romanian government is devastating for the rules of a democratic state and furthermore we believe that parties should solve local political disagreements on the council level, not through an emergency regulation on the national level.
We therefore:
Express our deep concerns about the enforcement of Romania’s rule of law and the lack of respect for democratic values;
Remind the Romanian Government of its duty to apply the rule of law and hold an open and transparent legislative process and not shy away from a debate with the participation of all political parties, civil societies and other stakeholders;
Urge the Romanian Government to withdraw the emergency ordinance such a short period before the next elections and start with negotiations about a reform of the electoral system with all political parties represented in the national parliament;
Call on the Romanian Prime Minister and president of the PSD, Victor Ponta, to refrain from introducing any changes to the electoral law less than six months prior to the elections, in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission;
Call on the governing party PSD not to abuse its power and divert and mislead Romania from its European path and European values;
Call on the European Commission to monitor and create a legal instrument, according to its competence as set out by the treaties, these recent proposals of the Romanian Government and prevent any breach of rule of law;
Will continue to monitor with great attention the political developments in Romania.
The EPP Manifesto, also adopted at the 2012 EPP Congress in Bucharest, outlines the basic principles of the Party summary.
The EPP Manifesto, also adopted at the 2012 EPP Congress in Bucharest, outlines the basic principles of the Party summarising who we are, what our values are, what challenges are we facing and what vision we have for the future. The Manifesto was developed in parallel to the EPP Platform document within the EPP Working Group 1 for “European Policy”.
The EPP Platform is the core programme of our party outlining our main values, explaining the challenges our society is facing and presenting our vision for the future of European Union.
The Party Platform was developed in EPP Working Group 1 for “European Policy” chaired by EPP President Wilfried MARTENS ?and EPP Vice President Peter HINTZE. The Working Group consists of delegates of EPP member parties who prepared and worked?on this document for more than two years and received input?from the drafting committee as well as senior and young experts. The document was adopted at the 2012 EPP Congress in Bucharest, thus replacing the Basic Programme of Athens from 1992.
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