Constitution reflects interests of entire society, says Basescu

President Traian Basescu told the ceremony occasioned by the Constitution Day on Monday that the fundamental law did not only reflect the interests of the political class, but also the ones of the entire society.

‘This is why, being a complex process, the change of the Constitution requires long lasting reflection but also an extensive debate, a fact that would imply a previous negotiation among political parities on the subject of the change, a debate with representatives of the academic and research environment, whose members are politically non-committed, but are well acquainted with the various constitutional systems, also a debate with the civil society and leaders of public opinion and it would finally imply a debate among citizens,’ Basescu told the ceremony organized by the Constitutional Court of Romania at the Parliament Palace.

The Head of State said that the Constitution put down the principles of the economic, political, social and legal life in close connection with the fundamental values the state promoted and defended. ‘These values are the separation of powers in the state, the guarantee and protection of the citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms, the independence of justice, political pluralism and justice, the protection of the human dignity,’ said Basescu.

According to the President, in order to be able to get and preserve the people’s respect, the Constitution ‘must be able to meet the needs of the present but also the ones of the future, have a visionary character, that is, be able to solve the problems a fundamental law will encounter in the natural evolution of the life of a democratic society.’

‘From this point of view the step of revising Romania’s Constitution in 2003 was a natural one, but it must not be regarded as being an isolated one difficult to repeat in the time to come. This is the more so as Romania’s capacity as a European Union member state and the evolution of the state institutions in the past few years made the Romanian State and the entire Romanian society face new challenges and political, social, economic and legal demands, making it imperative to adapt and change a large number of general rules, irrespective of their legal character but also the change of many social and even cultural attitudes,’ added Basescu.

He added that he would be a consistent defender of the fundamental values of the Romanian Stare and a loyal ally of any institution taking action for the defence of the most important fundamental values to be found in Romania’s Constitution.

‘By virtue of the constitutional tasks we have, I assure you that I will watch over the observance of the Constitution and the good functioning of the state authorities and will not hesitate at all to resort to the Constitutional Court to ensure the guarantee of the supremacy of the Constitution,’ said Traian Basescu. AGERPRES