May 17, 2007 (International Herald Tribune)
"Romanians will choose in the referendum between my option, to build a modern state, and the lawmakers' option, to leave things as they are," Traian Basescu said in an interview with the Associated Press at his campaign's headquarters in downtown
Polls show over 70 percent of Romanians intend to back Basescu, a former commercial ship captain and
Parliament, which is dominated by parties opposing the president, suspended him last month on allegations that he violated the constitution by usurping the role of the prime minister and criticizing the courts. The
"It was a political decision — I'd say it was a sort of coup," he said, adding that the lawmakers abused their power by suspending him. "The president can't be held responsible by parliament, he can only be responsible in front of the Romanian people," which elected him, Basescu said.
He said five political parties, ideologically opposed to each other, united to suspend him because they wanted to stop anti-corruption measures, and political reform.
Basescu has been at odds with lawmakers, whom he accused of drafting laws for special interests, and with Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, a former ally with whom he clashed after accusing him of tolerating corruption in the Cabinet.
His first confrontation with parliament came last year, when he presented a report by a panel of experts condemning the crimes of the former Communist regime. "It declared the regime as illegal and illegitimate as it was imposed on
He added that some leading lawmakers, including former president Ion Iliescu and nationalist leader Corneliu Vadim Tudor, were named in the report as having been part of the Communist regime.
Basescu also irked lawmakers last year by ordering the secret services to declassify over 1.5 million files belonging to the Communist-era secret police, the Securitate, an action which led to several politicians being exposed as former collaborators.
The president, who himself faced allegations of collaboration but whose own Securitate file was not found, said however that the main reason for his conflict with lawmakers was his determination to shield prosecutors and judges from traditional interference from politicians.
He said magistrates have now tasted what independence feels like, leading to investigations against eight lawmakers and three Cabinet ministers.
Iliescu, who was president during most of its transition from communism, is also investigated for his role in organizing a violent march by miners onto the capital in 1990, where they beat anti-communist protesters, leaving at least six people dead and 500 injured.
"The fact that it became impossible to influence the justice system was the major link which united the five parties against me," said Basescu, who added that he refused to negotiate with them.
"It would have meant to negotiate the hopes of the Romanian people," he said.
After Basescu's suspension, the European Union and foreign ambassadors have put pressure on authorities to not replace chief prosecutors, he said. New Justice Minister Tudor Chiuariu who replaced the reformist Monica Macovei came under strong criticism from magistrates when he tried to sack a prosecutor in charge of several high-profile investigations.
"I am now convinced by the magistrates' reaction that the anti-corruption fight will continue without sparing anyone," Basescu said. "Especially after my return."
International Herald Tribune, May 16 (2007)
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