Senate Chairman Tariceanu: All bans should only apply on the duration of the court sentence

Senate Chairman Calin Popescu-Tariceanu considers that a tentative ban on running for Parliament or President for the persons who were handed down final criminal sentences should only apply on the duration of the respective sentence. 

Tariceanu commented on the subject when asked about the two legislative initiatives of the National Liberal Party (PNL) entered on the agenda of the Senate's plenary sitting on Monday - one of which is in the final vote stage, while the other is under debate, accompanied by a report recommending that it be rejected. The two initiatives propose that the persons who have been handed down final criminal sentences be banned from running for Parliament and Presidency, respectively. 

"I think any punishment handed down in court should clearly have a duration as reference, which means the ban of certain rights. The court can also hand down life punishments, but if they are not lifelong, they span the duration set forth by the court. Apart from this provision I think the citizens enjoy the citizens' rights enshrined in the Constitution and the law," Tariceanu explained. 

He didn't want to say how he will vote on the two pieces of legislation, arguing that the "vote is secret", and the electronic vote can be consulted in particular cases only if the parliamentary floor leaders demand the list of the vote.AGERPRES .