27/10/2010
MPs from the ruling coalition admit they did not know what was contained in two pieces of legislation they recently approved.
By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest -- 27/10/10
Voting procedures in Romania's parliament have come under renewed scrutiny after MPs from the ruling coalition adopted two bills without apparently knowing their content.
Submitted by the opposition Social Democrats, one bill would slash the value added tax (VAT) for basic foods from 24% to 5%, while the second provides a tax exemption for pensions of less than 500 euros.
The legislation runs directly counter to the government's policies as well as an agreement with the IMF to raise the VAT, and could lead to a billion-euro hike in the budget deficit if adopted.
Once the MPs realised the contents of the measures, they publicly admitted that something had gone terribly awry.
"It was a mistake [that] I accept," said Liberal Democratic Party parliamentary leader Mircea Toader. He pledged that his party will move to annul the vote by forwarding another bill.
Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu is among the three ministers who voted for the bills. Many in the PDL are calling for his resignation.
The bills are now before President Traian Basescu, who must decide whether to sign them into law.
Visiting IMF Chief of Mission to Romania Jeffrey Franks said on Friday he discussed the potential effects with Basescu in the Chamber of Deputies. Franks said he was assured the president would act accordingly.
"I will act in the interest of the nation," Basescu said.
He issued a statement criticising the manner in which parliament works, underscoring that current procedures allow many lawmakers to vote "unknowingly".
In particular, he called for bills to be debated in a legislative plenary session and not in committees, so as to avoid opacity.
The accidental vote left the public wary.
"No wonder parliament tops the list of least trusted state institutions," Catalin Moldoveanu, a sales consultant, told SETimes.
"Luckily this time they passed laws that benefit us, the citizens. But that makes me wonder how many of the current laws were voted under the same circumstances," Moldoveanu said.
Submitted by the opposition Social Democrats, one bill would slash the value added tax (VAT) for basic foods from 24% to 5%, while the second provides a tax exemption for pensions of less than 500 euros.
The legislation runs directly counter to the government's policies as well as an agreement with the IMF to raise the VAT, and could lead to a billion-euro hike in the budget deficit if adopted.
Once the MPs realised the contents of the measures, they publicly admitted that something had gone terribly awry.
"It was a mistake [that] I accept," said Liberal Democratic Party parliamentary leader Mircea Toader. He pledged that his party will move to annul the vote by forwarding another bill.
Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu is among the three ministers who voted for the bills. Many in the PDL are calling for his resignation.
The bills are now before President Traian Basescu, who must decide whether to sign them into law.
Visiting IMF Chief of Mission to Romania Jeffrey Franks said on Friday he discussed the potential effects with Basescu in the Chamber of Deputies. Franks said he was assured the president would act accordingly.
"I will act in the interest of the nation," Basescu said.
He issued a statement criticising the manner in which parliament works, underscoring that current procedures allow many lawmakers to vote "unknowingly".
In particular, he called for bills to be debated in a legislative plenary session and not in committees, so as to avoid opacity.
The accidental vote left the public wary.
"No wonder parliament tops the list of least trusted state institutions," Catalin Moldoveanu, a sales consultant, told SETimes.
"Luckily this time they passed laws that benefit us, the citizens. But that makes me wonder how many of the current laws were voted under the same circumstances," Moldoveanu said.
Economist Cristian Chiriac explained that the current system of voting was first introduced in the 2008 parliamentary elections when it was seen as a step towards political reform.
"We were told the uninominal vote would bring responsible and professional people to parliament. It looks like it has failed, too," Chiriac said.
"I wish the lawmakers would be compelled to report before the citizens at the end of each legislature. That would eventually break the ice in terms of reform," he added.
In addition to the two bills, majority MPs also "accidentally" approved the calendar requested by the opposition for a no-confidence vote against the government.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
"We were told the uninominal vote would bring responsible and professional people to parliament. It looks like it has failed, too," Chiriac said.
"I wish the lawmakers would be compelled to report before the citizens at the end of each legislature. That would eventually break the ice in terms of reform," he added.
In addition to the two bills, majority MPs also "accidentally" approved the calendar requested by the opposition for a no-confidence vote against the government.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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