Justice wanted in choosing new Romanian cabinet minister

25/01/2008

Romanian bloggers discuss the latest developments in the long power struggle between the president and prime minister, this time involving the choice for new justice minister.

By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest - 25/01/08

[SE Times illustration]

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu nominated Norica Nicolai, a liberal senator, to succeed Tudor Chiauriu as justice minister. President Traian Basescu vetoed the nomination, citing Nicolai's questionable conduct in office and poor public image. Basescu then tapped Defence Minister Teodor Melescanu to serve as interim justice minister.

Nicolai responded by calling a press conference, and vowing to continue to fight for the job.

Bloggers say that if she intended for her speech to be touching, it missed the mark. "Challenged [and] reactive, the liberal candidate for the justice minister position used a phrase meant to aim straight at the hearts of the viewers and another one in which she hypocritically laid out her position on democracy," Cristian Patrasconiu, a journalist with daily Cotidianul, said on his blog.

Nicolai also said Basescu meant to hurt "her moral quality both as a woman and human", but "in this case the president didn't offend at all the woman Norica Nicolai" by using obvious low language, says Patrasconiu. He cites another part of Nicolai's speech, where she says she's been fighting for democracy for the last 17 years. Patrasconiu describes that as "profoundly debatable".

Patrasconiu says Nicolai opposed the Lustration Law, the settlement of the National Anti-corruption Department and the National Integrity Agency. "Shouldn't we rephrase now: whether Norica Nicolai has been fighting for the last 17 years for the original democracy to become a reality?"

"The scandal has big stakes, gentlemen," says Dante, joining the debate. "This is an electoral year, when the politicians pull out their swords … and sacrifice everything for their empty ambitions. Norica may not be entirely flawless, but nor was [former Justice Minister] Monica Macovei," who the president fervently supported. "Basescu is unjustifiably wrong again by clinging to some things that, unfortunately, can be attributed to Norica, as well as to Monica."

Sarbu S. lashes out at Nicolai. "Why does she keep talking about professional competence? We've seen that: competence in obstructing any attempt towards democratisation."… "Her impudence has always manifested through verbal aggressiveness. Enough!" he says.

"She wasn't even able to produce proof in her defence, except for her brazen lies and Securitate-like schemes. I expected her to refute all the accusations punctually," says Steluta.

Mando, however, supports Nicolai. "Moral integrity? Does Basescu want someone immaculate at the ministry of justice? We had a young minister, a proponent of the new post-revolutionary generation, and he wasn't good enough either. Unfortunately, this attribute doesn't apply to the current politicians."