Tuesday evening, in a new statement delivered at the Cotroceni Palace, President Traian Basescu reiterated his attack against the two leaders of USL, Victor Ponta and Crin Antonescu, saying that he is very worried about the nonobservance of the cohabitation pact, because the document is part of the Mechanism of Cooperation and Verification (MCV) and European chancelleries mind it. “What I certainly tell you is that I will make no concession regarding the most sensitive chapter, which is justice and the rule of law. Because it means that we together signed that we will keep silent on everything bad that happens in weakening the rule of law in Romania, in the return of political clients, in leading positions, in prosecutors’ offices. I will not accept this,” the president said. “It would be dramatic to return to the era Stanoiu-Nastase&Co, now, in 2013,” he added.
According to Basescu, the two leaders of USL succeeded in “consistently depriving of credibility the progress achieved by the Romanian state during these last years” through attitude, deeds, “lies.” “Double language is catastrophic for Romania. (…) One cannot tell something in Berlin and something else when you go in hand with Dragnea, after prosecutors sent the file in court,” the president said, adding that “these people sacrifice Romania’s credibility interests for their internal interests.”
The president also denounced that Ponta and Antonescu are “like two babies” in terms of understanding the functioning of the democratic state, and the accord of cohabitation turns the premier into a discussion partner aboard, which is not the case with the liberal leader, but both leaders of USL affect the progress made by Romania these years “with their lies”. “I cannot stay in the wake of a liar like Victor Ponta and to be labeled same as he is. This man smiles, laughs, he is a poorer quality Oprescu. Oprescu at least has humour (…)” the president commented.
Traian Basescu also announced that he sent to the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) a copy of the cohabitation accord, while also congratulating the institution for the prompt reaction to the request made by a prosecutor to defend his reputation. CSM announced, through the voice of its president Oana Schmidt-Haineala, that the plenum of CSM decided to notify the Judiciary Inspection to find out if the statements made last week, including those made by Basescu and Ponta, infringe or not the independence of justice. In his turn, CSM member judge Horatiu Dumbrava said that it is “inacceptable” for magistrates to become “captives” in a political fight. “It is inacceptable to learn that there was a pact of cohabitation regarding posts in prosecutors’ offices. No position in the judiciary system must make the object of a cohabitation pact (…)” Dumbrava stated, quoted by Mediafax.
On MCV report, insolvency and emergency ordinances
President Basescu also mentioned that justice will have positive results in the MCV report, but “it will be bad” with regard to the observance of the rule of law by the government and parliament. “In my opinion, justice did its job and, if nothing happens until December, I think (…) it will have positive results, with respect to ICCJ, DNA, DIICOT. Things will be bad in relation to the observance of the rule of law by the government and parliament,” the head of state said, in the context blaming the government for the multitude of “unjustified” emergency ordinances. According to Basescu, the effect of appointing as Ombudsman a person that enjoys the support of parliamentary groups is seen in the fact that 96 ordinances remained unchallenged – also a reference to OUG that “grossly infringe the equal treatment of persons,” namely the modification to the Law of Insolvency. “Mr. Ghita must proceed at purchasing televisions and radios, the Romanian Television if possible, and place them in the service of Mr. Victor Ponta. And then we issue an Emergency Ordinance with discriminatory character for the targets of Mr. Ghita and Mr. Ponta,” Basescu mentioned. He also accused the prime minister of travelling by plane “on Ghita’s money” and preparing an EUR 30 M supplementing of the budget destined to securing borders, with dedication for a company controlled by Sebastian Ghita.
Vosganian, labeled as “coward”
The president withdrew his statement about the resignation of the minister of Economy, Varujan Vosganian. Basescu said that he was wrong Monday when he appreciated the resignation of Varujan Vosganian from the government as a move of common sense, adding that it was an act of “profound cowardice,” because the minister did not also renounce his parliamentary immunity which would have allowed him to be investigated. “When I was a mayor, I placed myself at the disposal of investigating institutions, then I had no immunity. And today we see a Varujan Vosganian who would have given even 10 positions of minister, only to keep his immunity,” Basescu stated.
Referring to the file of deputy PM Liviu Dragnea regarding the rigging of the 2012 referendum, Basescu said that PSD used the same mechanism to steal the 2009 elections, so the target should not be Dragnea, but promoting a legislation that will no longer allow “theft during elections.”
