Romanian Liberal Deputy Makes Propositions To Revise Constitution

Chiuariu presented Wednesday his propositions to revise the Constitution, which will be debated in the National Liberal Party's Political Bureau, Standing Delegation and Congress.

Chiuariu said the position of head of state should be dissolved, as the president does not act like an arbiter and his relation with the prime minister is characterized either by subordination or conflict.

"The president does not act as an arbiter, as he is not politically independent. The position of president is suffocated by its duality: chief of the Government and head of state," said Chiuariu, adding none of Romania's presidents so far were politically neutral.

Chiuariu also proposes to limit the number of secrete services to three, namely the interior intelligence service, foreign intelligence service and the Army's counter-intelligence service.

The liberal deputy said any other institutions having this type of attributions must de disbanded, adding intelligence service activities unfolded by other public or private institutions should be deemed illegal.

In his scheme to revise the Constitution Chiuariu proposes a "monocephalic" Government led by the prime minister as only responsible with the country's interior and foreign policy.

"The Government would be the only representative of the executive power and would be made up of 15 ministers," said Chiuariu.

The prime minister will be proposed by the party that holds majority in Parliament or by the Government coalition that has majority, and will be empowered by the Constitutional Court president to appoint ministers.

According to Chiuariu, the prime minister-designate will come before the Parliament with the Government list and program within ten days from designation.

Chiuariu said the Government must come before Parliament to ask for a new confidence vote if it wants to apply new policies, other than those initially presented in its government program. If the Executive's new program is not endorsed by lawmakers, it will be dismissed.

Another of Chiuariu's Constitution revision propositions is that of a two-chamber Parliament with a maximum 200 lawmakers.

The liberal deputy said Romania's current Parliament is inefficient as its two chambers have similar attributions, and proposes they should have distinct functions.

Chiuariu also proposes the reformation of the justice sector and the High Council of Magistrates. He said the organization of the country's justice sector should not be decided by decrees and emergency ordinances.

Chiuariu proposes the country's prosecutor general be appointed by the High Council of Magistrates, and not by the president.

Chiuariu also proposes the High Court of Justice president should be appointed by the High Council of Magistrates for a six-year term. The High Court of Justice president is currently appointed by the president after the High Council of Magistrates designates a judge for this position.

After reformation, the High Council of Magistrates will have three major function, namely the attribution to apply disciplinary sanctions, appoint justice institutions' heads and defend magistrates' good name and independence.

Chiuariu also proposes the Constitutional Court should change its way of functioning, adding the appeal to the Constitutional Court's rulings must be reintroduced. The liberal deputy wants a more efficient, professional and independent Constitutional Court.

Chiuariu proposes the country should be divided into new administrative and territorial units, namely regions, towns and cities. According to Chiuariu's revision project, the 12 regions will be led by a governor and a council.

The liberal deputy said all decentralized public authorities should be organized using the territory principle, which will become a constitutional principle.

The Constitution as envisaged by Chiuariu will make a clear cut between the political level and the administrative level. At a central level, only ministers, secretaries of state and the heads of central authorities and agencies will be appointed on political criteria.

Chiuariu upholds the implementation of the lustration law, so that the members of the former regime's secret police (Securitate) and all the members of the Communist Party who held leading positions within the party be forbidden to occupy any of the positions regulated by Romania's Constitution.

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