The far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) filed a constitutional challenge against the “austerity law” recently passed by the Ilie Bolojan government through the assumption of responsibility procedure. AUR claims the law through which the first fiscal corrective package was adopted is “profoundly unjust, unconstitutional, and a cynical abuse of power that bypasses democratic debate and inflicts serious harm on millions of Romanians.”
The challenge at the Constitutional Court comes one day after Parliament rejected a no-confidence motion initiated by the opposition in response to the government’s decision to push through the fiscal package aimed at reducing the budget deficit.
According to AUR, the government misused the special procedure to push through a “toxic and chaotic” mix of measures without real parliamentary scrutiny. The urgency invoked by the government is “a gross fabrication,” the party argued, noting that the budget deficit did not arise suddenly and that the executive had ample time to act through normal democratic mechanisms.
“What is Bolojan doing?” AUR stated in its press release. “He wraps up cuts, discrimination, and humiliation in a single law, forces it through Parliament, and calls it ‘reform’.”
AUR denounced the legislation as a “festival of poverty and injustice,” pointing to key provisions such as the elimination of benefits for families with children, the freezing of salaries, the cancellation of legal compensation for unused leave, and the staggering of court-ordered payments.
Moreover, the party criticized the government for maintaining privileges for top officials and political appointees. “While the government demands austerity from those struggling to survive, it protects five deputy prime ministers and hundreds of taxpayer-funded sinecures riding in luxury cars,” the party declared.
Following AUR’s challenge, the Constitutional Court is set to convene to review the constitutionality of the law. If the referral is not accepted, the law will then be sent to president Nicușor Dan, who has three options: to promulgate it, to refer it to the Constitutional Court himself, or to return it to Parliament, Hotnews.ro noted.
Once all these steps are completed and the law is promulgated and published in the Official Gazette, it will begin to take effect. Most measures included in this first package, including the increase of VAT to 21%, are set to take effect on August 1.
Government officials said these measures have been necessary as the executive is trying to curb the growing budget deficit and avoid a financial crisis. The reform is set to continue with second and third fiscal corrective packages that are to be presented by the end of July.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)
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