Vladescu''s absence, accounted for

Romanian Public Finances minister Sebastian Vladescu and secretary of state Catalin Doica did not attend the meeting of the Privatisation Committee of the Chamber since they were participating in the Government session during which budgetary rectification was approved, but the ministry had sent representatives to be present at the Committee meeting, according to the press office of the institution.

“Minister Vladescu took part in the Government session discussing budgetary rectification, but he did not stay till session close because he left for Washington, to attend the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund. Catalin Doica, a secretary of state with the Finance Ministry, attended the last part of the session, in line with legal stipulations,” specifies the press office.

The deputies part of the Privatisation Committee on Wednesday rejected the Government Ordinances related to the privatisation of the Casa de Economii si Consemnatiuni (Romanian Savings Bank – CEC), the Lottery and the National Printing House, their main argument being the Finance minister”s absence.

The Finance Ministry mentions secretary of state Catalin Doica was coordinating the two normative documents that were not approved on Wednesday and had the obligation to represent the ministry during the Government session.

“This is not ill will or ignoring the Parliament, but the physical impossibility of the two dignitaries to be present in two places at the same time,” stated the representatives of the Finance Ministry.

Although there was a proposal to postpone discussions over the two Government ordinances for another session Vladescu may be able to attend, the proposal related to the rejection of the two ordinances, formulated by the chairman of the Committee, Mihai Tudose (PSD-Social Democrat Party) won at the time of voting.

The deputy chairman of the Committee, Octavian-Mircea Purceld (PRM-Great Romania Party), voiced the harshest criticism against Vladescu.

The Committee for economic policy, reform and privatisation was notified in an emergency procedure about the two ordinances referring to the privatisation of the three companies.

The rejection will make these government-initiated documents enter the agenda of debates by the Chamber of Deputies, most likely next week, with a negative endorsement from the Committee.