A Bucharest court on Friday said Romania"s naming of Vasile Blaga as interior minister was invalid because of procedural flaws, according to dpa. Basescu named former Blaga transitional interior minister on October 1 after removing Dan Nica of the Socialist party. Basescy"s move came following his warning of alleged plans to falsify the presidential elections. Nica is taking legal action against the dismissal. The Interior Ministry is considered a very sensitive position before the upcoming December 6 presidential runoff election. President Traian Basescu, who is seeking re-election, said: "If it was the goal (of the court"s decision), that there would be no interior minister during the elections, then they have succeeded." So long as there is no interior minister, the ministry will be filled by the secretary of state. An appeal against the ruling is possible. In the presidential runoff, Basescu faces Socialist candidate Mircea Geoana. In the first election on October 22, the two candidates won a nearly even distribution of the votes but neither gained the necessary absolute majority.
