Govt rules out negotiations with former king

The Government “rules out” negotiations with the Royal House for the retrocession of properties having belonged to former king Mihai I, as the situation will be solved in compliance with the property restitution Law.

The announcement was made after the former king, the President and the Prime Minister attended the commemoration of 400 years since the death of Mihai Viteazu last weekend. It was the first time when the former king met with President Ion Iliescu and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase after Mihai I had submitted his retrocession notification.

Their attitudes at this manifestation were different. Ion Iliescu shook hands with people around, while the Premier and Mihai I were quite reserved. The chief of the state said that the commemoration in Targoviste should mark a reconciliation moment, as he invited former President Emil Constantinescu and the former sovereign to this manifestation.

The meeting was a mere exchange of courtesies. Although it had been previously said that the situation of the former king’s properties would not be discussed at this manifestation, minister aerban Mihailescu broke this pledge.

“Negotiations are out of the question, it is only a matter of enforcing Law 10,” aerban Mihailescu said, even though he had previously stated that Executive representatives will begin to negotiate with the Royal House on settling the conditions of Peles Castle retrocession.