Brussels, 12/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Romanian government decided to defer European elections, to be held on 13 May, till a later date, it was confirmed by a government spokesman. Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu had, on Saturday during a press conference in Bucharest, announced his intention to put off the ballot, saying that his “call in favour of a serious campaign with a view to the European elections was ignored, with political forces seeming more interested in political manoeuvring”. Relations, already difficult, between Prime Minister Tariceanu and the Romanian president, Traian Basescu, could be even more strained after this decision, which could rebound on the coalition in power. Allied to Mr Tariceanu's national liberal party within the government, the democrat party, of which Romanian President Traian Basescu is a member, had said last week that he was opposed to any deferral. According to the accession treaty, Romania has until 31 December 2007 to elect 35 representatives to the European Parliament, where those who were observers before the country joined the EU still have a seat. (ab)