Romanian Parliament Obliged To Approve President’s Request For Referendum Within 20 Days

The government approved, in its meeting Wednesday, the emergency ordinance amending the law regulating the organization of referendums.

The ordinance also stipulates that ballots for the referendum will be cast in the same polling stations set for presidential elections, with separate seals and additional lists, however.

Sources close to the matter told MEDIAFAX that Interior Minister Dan Nica voted against the ordinance, but the act received the Justice Ministry’s approval.

The Interior Ministry, which is the institution in charge of organizing and overseeing elections, is not among the act’s initiators. Nica said Saturday the organization of a national referendum on the same day with presidential elections could lead to significant additional costs because separate polling stations might have to be set up.

Nica said the government approved a budget of 152 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1981) for the organization of presidential elections. He also said additional costs for a referendum on the same day have not been assessed yet, as authorities have to decide whether polling stations will be the same for the referendum and presidential elections or separate polling stations would be set up.

Basescu last week called for a national referendum on downsizing the country’s Parliament to a maximum 300 lawmakers from the current 471 and on the switch to a single-chamber Parliament.

The president said the referendum should be held on November 22, at the same time with the first round of presidential elections, to keep organizational costs to a minimum.