Romania's Chamber of Deputies rejected the amnesty and pardon draft law, on Tuesday, November 18. The decision was made with 293 votes in favour, one against and one abstention, according to Mediafax newswire.

The newly elected President Klaus Iohannis urged the Parliament, on Monday, to introduce the amnesty and pardon law on its agenda and to vote against it.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who lost the presidential elections to Iohannis, said on the same day that the members of the Government Coalition would also vote against this law.

The draft provided the pardon for crimes with prison sentences of up to six years, including for charges of corruption. This law project was one of the topics for debate in the campaign before the elections.

Klaus Iohannis said he firmly opposed this draft law. He also asked his opponent Victor Ponta, who also leads the largest political party in Romania, the Social Democratic Party (PSD), to call upon his colleagues in the Parliament to vote against this law, on the Friday before the elections.

Iohannis also asked the Parliament to waive the immunity of Romanian deputies and senators who are investigated for corruption so that they can be investigated and prosecuted for their crimes.

editor@romania-insider.com