Renate Weber

Social Democratic Party (PSD) Chairman Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday that the Ombudsperson had been reinstated, and the Constitutional Court (CCR) unanimously confirmed that the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Save Romania Union (USR) had committed a horrific abuse and attacked the very essence of the rule of law.

Removing Renate Weber from the position of ombudsman was made in accordance with constitutional procedures, and a new person will be appointed to the office by the end of the current parliamentary session, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban said on Wednesday.

Ombudsperson Renate Weber is asking Prime Minister Florin Citu to state the reasons why the 20 decisions adopted by the National Committee for Emergency Situations (CNSU) since the beginning of the year have not been published in the Official Journal.

National leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday that if the lawmakers of the ruling coalition "force" Renate Weber's being removed from office as the Ombudsman, the Social Democrats will challenge the decision with the Constitutional Court.

Romania's Ombudsman Renate Weber argues that the official title of the institution she is heading - the People's Advocate - is "pompous" and "ill-advised", because it may mislead the public opinion about what the Ombudsman can and should do. "I couldn't tell you why we have chosen this title because by tradition, the institution is indeed called Ombudsman.

European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has announced the launch of a formal investigation of London's decision to suspend grants and loans to Bulgarian and Romanian students.