Early parliamentary elections no longer seems just a hypothesis as of yesterday, but Premier Adrian Nastase and President Ion Iliescu have conflicting opinions on voting before the due date.
On Tuesday night, the PSD (Social Democrat party) leadership unanimously decided to support the early elections, so that ruling party leaders yesterday went to the presidential residence (Cotroceni Palace) to state their arguments in front of President Ion Iliescu. By the time the meeting was over, the two parties were on opposite sides.
Premier Adrian Nastase said there is a "realistic" possibility to organise early elections, which could take place in the first half of next year.
On the other hand, President Ion Iliescu said through his spokesman that he maintains his position on the early elections. Which means, as he had repeatedly said before, that he is against early parliamentary elections in 2003, deeming them as "inappropriate."
As the chief of state hinted, this issue could be discussed after the NATO summit in Prague, but only if imposed by public debate.
However, the Premier feels "it would be stupid to make a decision about elections after the Prague moment, as we do not know what will be decided in Prague."
Nastase explained it would be a "paradox" if Romania is not invited to join the North-Atlantic Alliance and the Government resigns, or, if it is invited, that early elections are organised.
"These early elections should not be regarded as a crisis situation, but as a moment marking commitment to a distinct project, the European project," Nastase claimed.
According to the Premier, early elections would breathe new "dynamics into politics" and would secure parliamentary support for a "complete" political project.
In his turn, Iliescu has arguments against early elections, saying that electoral campaigns would go on for two years, since local and presidential elections are scheduled for 2004.
On Tuesday night, the PSD leaders decided that the Government would resign, if Romania was not invited to join NATO. If our country joins the Alliance, the population must give a confidence vote to the Government and the ruling party, said the PSD vice-president Ion Solcanu, who provided details on the meeting. "We must ask the population to decide which party should be entrusted with managing the country's affairs from now on," Solocanu said. During the PSD meeting, there were no opinions against early elections, but just "nuances," the party official said.
