Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said on Thursday he was resigning, opening the way to early elections. "Tonight I shall inform President (Traian) Basescu of my decision," Tariceanu said after a cabinet meeting. Elections could be called for October, government officials said.
Tariceanu's resignation came a day after the Romanian constitutional court partially rejected laws amending the justice system, an overhaul requested by the European Union ahead of Romania's accession to the club.
"Right now, the reform is blocked. The entire legislative package on the justice system and property rights must return to parliament, which is causing delays," Justice Minister Monica Macovei said Wednesday.
The Romanian government only two weeks ago survived a no-confidence vote called by the opposition Socialists over the draft legislation.
The Socialists had called for the vote after Tariceanu asked the legislature for a vote of confidence on the two draft laws aimed at introducing the reforms to speed their adoption.
By rejecting the Socialists' vote, lawmakers had effectively adopted the two bills.
One of the bills concerns the return of goods confiscated during 44 years of communist rule and the second the justice system, which Bucharest has been warned to reform rapidly or risk having its EU entry delayed by a year to 2008.
The Socialists had protested that the draft laws would "subject the justice system to the country's political powers and play havoc with property rights."
The head of the chamber of deputies, former Socialist prime minister Adrian Nastase, then took the matter to the Constitutional Court because it considers both bills to be "unconstitutional".
Romania's EU accession treaty contains a so-called safeguard clause which Brussels can use to delay accession if it is not satisfied with reforms on justice, home affairs and competition policy. This clause now risks being activated.
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