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.

Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban considers that the revocation of Renate Weber from the position of Ombudsman was "an expected outcome", that he supported primarily because she "endangered" the life and the health of Romanians. "Renate Weber was not the Romanian Ombudsman, but the PSD [Social Democratic Party]'s lawyer and the lawyer of PSD interests'.

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.

Leader of Social Democrat Deputies Alfred Simonis on Wednesday said there is nothing that would justify the removal of the Ombudswoman from office adding that Social Democrats are going to attack the Parliament's decision on Renate Weber with the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR). "There is nothing that could possibly justify the removal of the Ombudswoman, if you looked at procedures.

Police numbers are "insufficient" and there are issues with police personnel training, Ombudsperson Renate Weber declared on Wednesday on the occasion of the release of the institution's special report on the Romanian Police General Inspectorate's personnel deficit and its logistic equipment.

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.

Ombudsman Renate Weber had a meeting with leader of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church (BOR) on baptism, bringing to attention several aspects that could be considered by the BOR Holy Synod, including analysing the opportunity of some classes in the liturgical practices of baptism, and establishing ways of performing the ritual adapted to each case.

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.

Taxing special state pensions must be done in Parliament, because an emergency ordinance issued by the government to regulate the matter is open to being challenged by the Ombudsman with the Constitutional Court, National Liberal Party (PNL) floor leader in the Chamber of Deputies Florin Roman said on Wednesday.

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.