What happens after the death of Ion Iliescu and what is the role of public institutions in state funerals. What the law on national mourning says

Ion Iliescu has been in critical condition for more than 48 hours, August 4 announced today, the management of the Emergency Clinical Hospital “Prof. Dr. Agrippa Ionescu”, where the former president, aged 95, has been admitted for almost 2 months.

Preparations are made for state funerals for Ion Iliescu. Source: Hept

Located in the anesthesia section, intensive care, the organs of the former leader give in one at a time, and at this time the doctors make efforts to keep him alive.

During today, August 4, immediately after evaluating the health status of the former president by the SRI doctors, the Government urgently convened the State Funeral Organization Committee to establish the organizational aspects and, especially, what will happen if Ion Iliescu will cease.

Preparations for organizing state funerals. The role of the institutions involved

According to the regulation, the committee is constituted under the coordination of the head of the Prime Minister. It includes many representatives of relevant public institutions such as: the Presidential Administration, the General Secretariat of the Government, the Prime Minister's Chancellery, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the State Secretariat and the Protection and Guard Service.

Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Romania coordinates the activity of the interinstitutional committee. It monitors and approves the General Plan of State Funerals.

Presidential Administrationthe place where Ion Iliescu spent 3,846 days in office, collaborates with the other institutions in organizing the state ceremony.

General Secretariat of the Government Supports logistically and administratively to organize the event, ensures the necessary funds for funerals (within the approved budget)

Ministry of Internal Affairs It ensures the public order on the official routes and in the ceremonial areas, and through the gendarmerie and the police, it coordinates the access of the public and the officials. He also participates with guards of honor, if applicable.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs It coordinates communication with foreign embassies and announcing death and manages invitations and protocol for international delegations.

Ministry of National Defense It offers the Military Guard of Honor and Military Music (band). It can ensure the transport of the flag and carry out the bridesmaids. The Protection and Guard Service (SPP) provides the protection of Romanian and foreign dignitaries participating in ceremonies, plans security measures within the perimeter of the event and coordinates access to the area of dignitaries.

State Secretariat for Cults Coordinates the religious part of the ceremony, depending on the confession of the deceased.

According to Law no. 215/2016, any former president of Romania benefits from state funerals, which include military honors. Normative act is explicit in this regard:

= Art. 17 (1) The state funerals are the official ceremonies organized by the Government in case of the death of the President of Romania and the former heads of state of Romania. (2) State funerals also include military honors.

The organization of the ceremony rests mainly of the Ministry of National Defense, in cooperation with the authorized institutions and the religious confession of the deceased person. Traditionally, the Romanian Orthodox Church officiates the religious service, but in the case of other confessions, they collaborate with their representatives.

The situation of former President Ion Iliescu raises some question marks regarding the religious component of the ceremony, as he was not publicly known as affiliated with any confession. Thus, the church protocol may be adapted accordingly.

The tradition of state funerals implies the exposure of the inanimate body in the emblematic buildings of the state, such as the Cotroceni Palace or the Romanian Athenaeum, parades of the Guard of Honor, as well as cannon or weapon, as a tribute.

The law does not provide national mourning

It is expected that the Government led by Ilie Bolojan will decree national mourning in the case of the death of former president Ion Iliescu, according to previous customs and practices. The decision is formalized by a government decision, which establishes the day or days of national mourning and specifies the specific measures to be respected at that time: the tree of the national flag in Bern on the public institutions and the state buildings, the cancellation of the festive cultural and sporting events, as well as the adaptation of the programs grid. Although Law no. 215/2016 does not expressly provide for the obligation to declare the national mourning, the precedents of the state funeral organized for former heads of state, such as those of King Mihai I, suggest that this measure will be taken in this case, in respect of the supreme function in the state that the deceased has held.

Where Ion Iliescu will be buried

Ion Iliescu will be buried in an Orthodox Christian cemetery, along with his family, more precisely in Saint Friday Cemetery from Bucharest, where he has a black marble cavou made and prepared for several years.

Ion Iliescu will be buried in an Orthodox Christian cemetery. Source: Mediaflux