Having a majority does not legitimise a breach of law.

The recent developments in Romania over the past few weeks give rise to major concerns. Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who was elected by parliament only two months ago, has destroyed the reforms and progress of the past five years. The attack by the ruling majority on the democratic institutions and procedures in Romania is unprecedented. For example, the confinement of the constitutional court's powers is unconstitutional to an extremely high degree.

Fact is: It is no longer only about a political fight for power, but rather about the violation of fundamental European legal principles. A parliamentarian majority cannot and must not legitimise a breach of law. The government's emergency decree, which abolished the constitutional court's right to scrutinize the parliament's decisions and, therefore, the suspension of the President, violates Romania’s constitution. Parliament’s actions in taking control of the judiciary are clearly not a part of the concept of our Europe.

This breach of law will not be remedied by the referendum scheduled for Sunday. Moreover, it is likely that the procedure of the referendum will not conform to the current standards of the rule of law and transparency.

Thus, so called "floating" polling stations are being established in hotels, cafés, and restaurants, complicating a proper control of the procedures. Contrary to the Presidential elections in 2009, there will be no video surveillance during the election. Additionally, they will not make use of the new software detecting election fraud by a multiple casting of votes. Consequently, it will not be possible to compare the casted votes with the actual amount of voters. This is how the so-called "election tourism" is being established.

The events in Romania deeply shocked the European Union. Romania is now under a special surveillance conducted by the European Commission and the European Parliament. If fundamental legal principles of the European Union are further violated, one must start thinking about using the procedures available in Article 7 of the Treaty of Lisbon.