Bucharest : The Romanian parliament adopted a declaration Wednesday calling for the resignation of President Traian Basescu over a corruption scandal in which his brother is implicated.
The declaration was adopted unanimously in the chamber with 344 votes in favour and 17 abstentions, Xinhua reported.
Senate President Calin Popescu Tariceanu explained that the non-binding document is a political motion of the parliamentarians.
“We deal with this situation from a political, moral view and we believe the president should normally resign in such a situation,” he said.
Basescu said Monday he would ignore the parliament’s declaration calling for his resignation.
“I will ignore both their shouts and the parliament’s declaration. My objective is to continue fighting corruption with all the state’s force until the last day of my term,” he said.
The president’s younger brother Mircea Basescu was accused of taking a bribe from the family of a crime boss on trial for attempted murder.
The Bucharest Court Friday ruled a 30-day preventive arrest term for the president’s brother Mircea Basescu, accused of committing the offence of trading in influence.
Mircea Basescu used his status as a member of the president’s family, giving the impression that he could intercede with the magistrates who handled the case where Sandu Anghel was being tried for attempted murder, in order to obtain a favourable judgment consisting of either a milder sentence or even the release of the defendant, showed a report released Friday by the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA).
The report also shows that in early 2011, after Sandu Anghel was placed under preventive arrest, his son Florin Anghel sent intermediary Marian Capatana 250,000 euros ($340,000) at the latter’s request and in exchange for the promise that the money will be handed over to Mircea Basescu to grease the wheels of justice on behalf of Sandu Anghel.
Later, as Sandu Anghel was not released, Florin Anghel remitted 350,000 euros more to the intermediary for the same purpose.
Of the total of 600,000 euros given by Florin Anghel, Mircea Basescu received 250,000 euros, it was reported.