34,654 people "will be deleted from the electoral lists"

Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced Monday in a press conference at Victoria Palace that the data from the MAI and MAE, 34,654 people will be removed by mayors from the permanent electoral lists used in the referendum, 512,379 have expired IDs while 3,052,397 are abroad, of which no one knows the exact number of minors.

Victor Ponta presented data from the MAI( Ministry of Administration and Interior) and MAE(Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and submitted them to the Constitutional Court.

CCR will gather on Tuesday to decide the outcome of the referendum of 29 July on dismissal of the suspended President Traian Băsescu.

The prime minister said that the data received from MAI, 34,654 people will be removed by mayors from the permanent electoral lists used in the referendum because they have died or lost their right to vote.

Also, according to the MAI, 512,379 people had expired IDs and did not renew them until the voting day, which, according to the Premier, "has to be taken into account".

Victor Ponta said that, from the data received from MAE, so far from foreign institutions and diplomatic missions, all Romanian citizens' with legal right to reside in other countries" is 3,052,397 people.

Data received from 17 countries show that there are 1,101,809 adult Romanian citizens, but data received from other countries does not specify how many adults and how many children are.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta stated that he has sent to the Constitutional Court an address with information received from MAI, which are not the permanent electoral lists because the executive does not have those lists, which are at the parquet.

The prime minister said Monday that he sent the address to the President of the Court, Augustin Zegrean, which is registered under number 5451.

"I did not send to CCR the electoral lists from some reason I managed to make it understandable for everyone: we did not have those lists, but were taken by the Tribunal," said Victor Ponta.

The prime minister also said that CCR, by three addresses, requested the Romanian government to fulfill certain procedures referring to the provisions of Law 370/2004 on Romania's presidential election.

CCR requested the permanent lists

Last Tuesday, CCR decided on Tuesday to ensuring the prompt resolution of the case and to avoid the prolonging of the situation of political instability which directly impacts the national economy to accord the changeover period of debate over the referendum from 31 august to 21 august, it is said in a statement of the Court.

The Constitutional Court stated that it will decide by a majority of two thirds, which is six votes of nine, on the validity of the referendum on July 29, according to the Law on the organization and operation of CC.

The statement adds that the CCR Plenary requested the executive to inform the persons registered in the permanent electoral lists, updated (until July 10, 2012), in accordance with art. Article 17. (2) of Law no. 3/2000 on the organization and conduct of the referendum, it is said in a statement of the Court.

According to the release, the permanent electoral lists are, according to art. 2 paragraph. (1). c) of Law no. 370/2004, "lists of Romanian citizens voting over 18 years until the election day."

"Where this operation is not executed, is supposed to be achieved within the time allowed by the Court," reads the CCR.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University