NEWS OF THE DAY - AUGUST 21

Prime Minister Victor Ponta stated on Thursday that he is glad that Adrian Nastase will be freed from prison and can be together with his family. "I am very, very, very glad that Adrian Nastase will spend tonight together with his family!", said Victor Ponta on his Facebook page. The former Social Democrat (PSD) Prime Minister Adrian Nastase will be released from prison, following a final ruling of the Ilfov Tribunal issued on Thursday. The court rejected an appeal made by the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) and upheld the decision to release the former prime minister issued by Bucharest's Sector 4 courthouse. The Tribunal's decision will be forwarded to Jilava Penitentiary, Nastase to be released later on Thursday.

* Chairman of the Liberal Reformist Party (PLR), Calin Popescu Tariceanu on Thursday accused President Traian Basescu of "anti-constitutional practices" and called on "the political forces for whom the respect for Constitution matters" to be ready "at any time" for a new procedure to suspend the head of state from office. "No one predicted that Romania's Presidency could fall into the hands of such a person. Although the remaining time until the date of the first round of the presidential elections [November] is not enough to carry out the procedure for Traian Basescu's suspension, I believe that the political forces for which the respect for the Constitution matters should be prepared at any time to initiate the Parliament's suspension procedure for Romania's President. We do not defend the Constitution and the Law depending on the schedule of elections, but on permanent basis. ... Therefore, I give a very serious warning to Mr. President," said the Senate Speaker, according to a release sent to AGERPRES.

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