Romanian Senate Committee OKs Bill Depriving President Of Right To Award Decorations

04.19.2011 By Ioana Tudor

The Romanian Senate’s committee for legal matters adopted a favorable report to a bill proposed by the Government whereby medals and decorations will no longer be awarded by the head of state.

The Romanian Senate's committee for legal matters adopted a favorable report to a bill proposed by the Government whereby medals and decorations will no longer be awarded by the head of state.

According to the bill, those entrusted with awarding decorations and titles of honor are the Senate chairman, the Chamber of Deputies speaker, the prime minister and other central public authority representatives.

The Government said in an explanatory note the institutions empowered with awarding decorations will be able to estimate correctly the number of those to receive decorations and will make more accurate budget estimations.

The Executive said the budget allotted for decorations was reduced by 25% in 2010, which made it impossible to ensure the needed number of decorations for all those who were supposed to receive decorations last year, which will bear on this years' budget.

The bill states that the sums needed for decorations and medals will be allotted to the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, the Government, the Defense Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE), the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), the Protection and Security Service (SPP), the Special Telecommunications Service (STS) and the Government's Secretariat General.

Under the Constitution, only the president may award decorations and honorary titles.