Chaos in the Senate, after the vote on the consumption of alcohol in stadiums. “I haven't seen anything like this since I've been in Parliament”
On Wednesday, the senators had in plenary a draft law which introduces the possibility that the spectators can consume alcohol, under certain conditions, in the stadiums. After the vote, due to some procedural misunderstandings, the UDMR and the opposition left the meeting, dissatisfied with the fact that the vice-president of the Senate, Mihai Coteț, announced that the law had passed. The final vote on the law is to be given in the Chamber of Deputies.
The scandal in the Senate started from the fact that the law was changed from an organic one to an ordinary one. What exactly does this mean? An organic law can be adopted only with the majority of votes from the total number of senators (67 votes). An ordinary law passes only with the votes of the majority of those present.
Finally, with the character of the law transformed into ordinary, the chairman of the meeting, Mihai Coteț, announced that the project passed with 64 votes for, 33 against and 2 abstentions. If the law had been an organic one, practically it would not have been adopted.
UDMR: “I haven't seen anything like this since I've been in Parliament”
UDMR and the opposition disputed the fact that the character of the law was changed.
“Our position is that the law, having an organic nature, did not pass, because it did not meet the required number of votes. Since I have been in the Parliament, I have not seen the nature of a law being changed by a committee”, the leader of the UDMR senators, Turos Lorand, told HotNews and GOLAZO.ro.
He also explained that the one that changed the character of the law from organic to ordinary was the Legal Commission in the Senate.
“Technically and legally, yes, the text of the law can be readjusted to an ordinary law. There is also a precedent. And then it enters the area that the number of votes is sufficient. Anyway, it goes to the Chamber of Deputies,” said Ștefan Pălărie, the vice-leader of USR senators.
The reason behind the chaos
Political sources explained to HotNews and GOLAZO.ro that the UDMR does not agree with the law because it also provides for the prohibition of some flags and symbols in stadiums.
In this case, it is possible that supporters who display the flag of the Szeklerland will be fined, so the UDMR would have liked this provision to be removed from the draft law.
The provision in the project with which the UDMR does not agree is the following, according to HotNews sources: “To prohibit the display in the sports arena of symbols, texts, alphanumeric signs and any visual elements, with obscene, political content or that incites the denigration of the country, unity and territorial integrity, xenophobia, national, racial, class or religious hatred, discrimination of any kind and violence, regardless of what support would be inscribed”.
The project also provides that, if it is adopted, it will be possible to sell low-alcohol drinks in stadiums, with a concentration of up to 5.5% by volume. Drinks cannot be brought into the stadium by supporters, but will be sold in the specially arranged spaces.
The consumption of alcoholic beverages is currently prohibited in stadiums.
