Bucharest, Oct 29 /Rompres/ - Respecting the preferences of both the majority and the minority of voters, choosing between individual candidates, establishing the number of seats in Parliament against a representation scheme and the representation of Romanian citizens residing abroad are the main advantages mentioned on Monday by Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu upon assuming responsibility for a draft law on the introduction of the single-vote system in Romania.

'As we all know, the overwhelming majority of Romanian voters want to elect their representatives fully aware of their choice and freely. The overwhelming majority of Romanians are asking us to offer the right to elect people, not lists ordered by parties,' said Tariceanu.

'For the single vote system to become a reality, all political forces wishing this reform should work together. It is time for the majority opinion of the political forces over the single vote system to come true now. Each of us should express political willingness to fulfil the wish of the majority of Romanians!,' added Tariceanu.

The prime minister mentioned eight main advantages of the introduction of the single-vote system. First of all, he said, the system suggested by the Government allows citizens when voting to choose from among individual candidates representing political parties and non-affiliated candidates.

The ballot should be one-round ballot and each winner of a caucus should automatically win a seat in Parliament.

Both the majority and the minority preferences of the voters will be represented in Parliament, Tariceanu said, pointing out that democracy will this way remain a representative democracy where minority opinions are acknowledged and represented proportional to the number of the citizens embracing such opinions.

Fourthly, Tariceanu said, the number of seats in Parliament will be established against a representation norm that takes into account the population size of the country and each county.

Tariceanu also said that it is for the first time when Romanians residing abroad will be distinctly represented in the Romanian Parliament.

The sixth advantage mentioned by him would be that the draft law assumed by the Government improves the operation of electoral bodies by clearer mentions on the their duties and their operation as well as by increasing the role of the Standing Electoral Authority in the electoral process.

Tariceanu also said that in the next parliamentary election, the vote will be on the voter's cards in order to prevent and combat multiple voting.

As a last advantage, Tariceanu mentioned that the electoral process will be carried out in full transparency and for securing such transparency internal and foreign observers will be used and media coverage of the elections are regulated under the draft law.

Tariceanu also informed that the Government accepted 24 out of 93 amendments suggested for the law on the single-vote system. The main amendment regards the introduction of the one-round-ballot single-vote system for the election of county council chairmen.

The suggested electoral system for which the Government assumed responsibility entails a single-vote system starting with the future parliamentary election and the system would offer the possibility for proportional representation in Parliament of all political options.