Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu said on Tuesday that he decided not to resign because the country is facing serious floods.

The prime minister said that a decent leader should not abandon his people during difficult times.
As to his call to hold early elections made on July 7, Tariceanu said that it was not the right time to do so, and that the Romanian government should instead focus on the reconstruction of flood-affected areas.

Tariceanu added that he discussed with European Union (EU) officials on Monday the situation in Romania, and they urged him not to step down.

He said that Olli Rehn, an official in charge of EU expansion, reminded him to concentrate on Romania's entry into the EU.

Romania's political crisis began on July 6 when the Constitutional Court blocked judicial reforms proposed by the government, stating that the reforms were unconstitutional.

One day later, Tariceanu announced his decision to resign and called for early elections.

However, the Constitutional Court on Monday reconsidered its initial rejection and passed the judicial reform bills. Romania's president Traian Basescu signed them into law one day later.

Judicial reforms in the country are a key prerequisite for its entry into the EU, currently slated for 2007. The bloc has warned Romania that its admission will be delayed by a year if it fails to reform its inefficient judicial system and enforce antitrust rules.

Severe flooding killed 21 people last week and left thousands homeless. The government has launched a massive cleanup and rebuilding campaign Monday and sent 4,300 soldiers to help in the effort.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2005)