The Senate passes the EO 14. Controversies on vetoing the EO 13

The emergency ordinance 14 which is repealing the controversial EO 13 amending the criminal codes has been adopted in the Senate by unanimity of votes on Tuesday after the parliamentary majority had vetoed the Opposition’s requests that the Senate should also rejectthe EO 13 at the same time with adopting the EO 14.

The Senate was the first chamber of the Parliament called to adopt the ordinance, with the vote to enter the Chamber of Deputies.

The opposition parties argued that the ruling coalition is trying to use a loophole in legislation so that the controversial EO 13 amending the criminal codes should eventually come into force.

USR senator Vlad Alexandrescu asked the plenary sitting that debated the emergency ordinance 14 to also veto the EO 13 “not to enable the possibility of some appeals in courts and as a proof of the majority’s good faith.” The Liberal senators endorsed the USR’s request.

“I ask the plenary’s agenda to be added the debate on the EO 13 throwing-out (…) There are potential constitutional problems with the EO 14. For this reason, the Grindeanu Gov’t promoted the EO 14 to repeal the EO 13. Let’s not create a time loophole between debating the EO 14 and the EO 13,” Alexandrescu argued.

The SocDem leader of the senators, Serban Nicolae claimed that Alexandrescu’s plea is useless, as it puts aside the parliamentary procedures. “We are not notified over emergency ordinances, but with draft laws,” Nicolae said.

In her turn, Liberal Alina Gorghiu proposed the adjournment of the plenary sitting to allow the members of the legal committee to convene in emergency meeting to veto the EO 13.

Former president Traian Basescu, PMP senator proposed freezing debates on both ordinances and setting up an extended committee to amend the criminal codes.

“Personally, I’ve got the feeling the Parliament, the Senate have entered a game of populism that we have no right o play. For instance, we want to prove our loyalty to I don’t know whom, by adopting the EO 14 by law. Some colleagues, out of loyalty show, want both EO 13 and 14. My opinion is this will generate even more confusion (…) Let EO 13 and 14 the way they are. The EO 13 is repealed by EO 14 (…) we thus enter a game where judges will find hard to cope with (…),” Basescu stated.

The Senate Speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu decided to adjourn the sitting to consult with the leaders of the parliamentary groups.

On Monday, the senators of the legal committee unanimously passed a favorable report on the EO 14.

However, the committee has not discussed the EO 13. Asked by a journalist if we could be sure that the EO 13 would be vetoed, the committee president Serban Nicolae said: “We can never be sure”.

President Klaus Iohannis also retorted on Tuesday on the situation in the Senate on the two ordinances, saying that he is convinced the legal experts of the Parliament will find the best solutions to solve this matter, which, in his view, is just “a technical legislative issue”.

As for the EO 13, the PNL and USR senators in the legal committee proposed to immediately veto it in the Tuesday’s sitting, but the ruling coalition and the UDMR representatives rejected the opposition’s motion on the ground that “an ample debate” is needed before a favorable or unfavorable report on it.