From rxpgnews.com
Romania's senate speaker named acting president
By Xinhua,
Apr 20, 2007 - 9:59:38 PM
Bucharest, April 20 - Romania's Constitutional Court designated Friday Senate Speaker Nicolae Vacaroiu as acting president while the country's leader is caught in an impeachment drive.
The court at the same time rejected President Traian Basescu's appeal against parliament's decision to suspend him, ruling that the impeachment procedure had been correct.
On Thursday, parliament approved an impeachment proposal against Basescu by a vote of 322 to 108 with 10 abstentions, paving the way for the legislature to organize a referendum within 30 days on his fate.
Since the president had vowed to resign if lawmakers voted to suspend him, the government must organize, according to the constitution, elections within three months to elect a new president.
The idea of suspending the president from office emerged early this year, amid a political crisis generated by reciprocal accusations traded by Basescu and Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu.
Opposition lawmakers accused Basescu of violating 19 constitutional items, including usurping the cabinet, criticizing judges and ordering the tapping of ministers' telephones.
Despite his being at odds with both the left-wing opposition and the prime minister, Basescu is popular among the Romanian people.
On February 28, the parliament decided to set up a committee to inquire into the alleged misdeeds of the president and on March 21; the committee published a report, which concluded that Basescu had breached the constitution.
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