Deputies will have no privatisation while on holiday

PDSR (Party of Social Democracy) on Tuesday was again faced with the effects of the nearly insufficient parliamentary support, as most governing party deputies were not present in the session room.

In spite of a little help from UDMR (Democrat Alliance of Hungarians in Romania), the governing party found itself having to reach a compromise and make concessions in order to pass the law enabling the Government to issue ordinances during the parliamentary holiday.

The “cold shower” PDSR yesterday took was the voting of a PRM (Greater Romania Party) originated amendment, which does not allow the Government to issue ordinances concerning the privatisation of state-run companies during parliamentary holiday.

At the same time, the Cabinet will be prohibited from regulating a legislative framework to ensure control over the compliance with the obligations undertaken by privatisation contracts.

PRM’s proposition enlisted the support of PD (Democrat Party) and PNL (National Liberal Party) deputies, outnumbering PDSR and UDMR deputies by 80 to 13 votes. The enactment of the PRM originated amendment took the governing party leaders aback, making Florin Georgescu request a roll call and a quorum check, while the chairman of the Chamber of Deputies Valer Dorneanu ironically thanked UDMR “for being such a big help.”

Many of the Union’s deputies were not there, while some of those attending the session chose to abstain.