Romania's suspended President, Mr. Traian Basescu, handed over the office of Romania's Presidency, July 10, 2012, to the pro tempore president, Mr. Crin Antonescu.
Crin Antonescu arrived at Cotroceni Palace at 11:00hrs, and after nearly half an hour after Traian Basescu left the presidential Palace driving his Dacia Logan car.
A referendum to recall Basescu is scheduled for July 29. In the meantime, Antonescu will be Romania's interim president. If the referendum turns out favouring the suspended president, he will return to the Cotroceni Palace to carry through his term in office. In the contrary case, Antonescu's pro tempore presidency will be extended to autumn, when an early presidential election will be called.
The Constitutional Court established on Monday evening that the procedure to suspend Traian Basescu was observed and Crin Antonescu becoming the pro tempore president of Romania is justified.