Romania's electoral committee confirmed on Monday that some 54 percent of the electorate cast ballots after the referendum was extended an extra day in an effort to attract greater participation.

In the referendum, the people of Romania were asked to vote on amendments to the constitution which would help bring the country in line with the laws of the European Union. Amid fears that turnout would fall below the 50 percent required to make the vote count, the Romanian government launched a last-ditch campaign to encourage participation.

After the governing PSD party held an emergency video conference with local leaders to discuss their course of action, supporters and activists were sent door to door in a hard-sell to get people to cast their ballots. Priests even undertook get-out-the-vote initiatives.

Falling short of EU entry requirements

Many among the 16 million voters were expected to abstain in protest against the country's widespread poverty and corruption, still prevalent 14 years after the collapse of communism.

The country is still haunted by the legacy of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Economic mismanagement and oppression of ethnic minorities remain serious problems. With monthly wages in what's still one of Europe's poorest nations averaging less than €150 as well as a shaky human rights record, Romania still has a lot to do before it gets on track for EU membership.

The reforms to the current constitution, first introduced back in 1991, are considered crucial to Romania's chances of joining the European Union, which is currently slated for 2007. They include guaranteeing the right to private property, demilitarizing the police, creating an independent judicial system and creating laws facilitating foreign investment. Ethnic minorities would also be guaranteed language rights when dealing with the government, and the disabled would be better protected.

The reforms would also permit the military to come under NATO command when Romania becomes a member in 2004.

Voters punish their leaders

Speaking in a national radio broadcast, Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase of the ruling former communists emphasized that, "This vote alone will not make our country rich... but without it everything we have accomplished will be lost."

But observers say that many voters see the referendum as a vote of confidence in the government and say the low turnout reflects the failure of the country's various cabinets during the post-communist years to improve standard of living and introduce effective reforms. "If I voted, it would be a vote of confidence for corruption, lies, crony capitalism and nepotism," engineer Adrian Trofin, who did not vote, told the Associated Press news agency.

Although most Romanians are in favor of joining the EU, many are angry about the government's endemic corruption and inability to maintain a viable economy. Sorin Ionita, the head of Romanian Academic Society think tank, told Reuters "polls show 75-80 percent of the public want EU accession. But it doesn't translate automatically as a voter turnout for the constitution."

Most of Romania's political parties supported the reforms, but the far-right Greater Romania Party, the second-largest party in parliament, urged voters to abstain. The opposition has now lodged a formal complaint to the federal election office, claiming breaches of voting procedures. Romanian media reported that measures to lure voters included mobile ballot boxes, offers of free food and medical check-ups, free theatre tickets and fire wood, while one provincial mayor allegedly told his villagers they would only get their pensions if they voted.

Most analysts expect an overall vote in favor of the referendum, but reliable results won't be released until Tuesday evening at the soonest.

Cleaning up the government's image

As part if a campaign to improve the government's image, Prime Minister Adrian Nastase accepted the resignation of three of his top ministers on Monday.

European Integration Minister Hildegard Puwak, Health Minister Mircea Beuran and Government Co-ordination Minister Serban Mihailescu have been accused by the media of embroilment in various forms of corruption. The prime minister told reporters that "they resigned to eliminate suspicions and the risk that the government will be forced to explain minor issues instead of taking care of important matters."

Observers say the close result of referendum showed the government that people had insufficient faith in their leaders. Traian Basescu from the opposition center-left party, PD, told Reuters that the departure of the ministers was "a desperate attempt to rescue the party's image after it forged the referendum."