Romania: The situation can be considered a coup.

Following the vote of the Romanian Parliament on the impeachment of President Traian Basescu, the Chairman of the largest political Group in the European Parliament, Joseph Daul, made the following statement:

"The removal of the top three people in the country, Presidents of both Chambers of Parliament and the President of the country, in only four days, in violation of Parliament's regulations, laws and the Romanian Constitution, can be considered a coup.

We cannot say that this was a political struggle between two opponents, but a concentrated assault on the state's institutions, judiciary system and the rule of law.

European Prime Ministers should never act in direct contradiction of their constitutional courts, nor should judges, at any level, feel intimidated in any Member State by the European Union.

The European Institutions should take the appropriate measures in order to ensure that the rule of law prevails in each of its Member States."