Traian Băsescu
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Traian Băsescu
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 23 May 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Eugen Bejinariu Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu Emil Boc |
| Preceded by | Nicolae Văcăroiu (Acting) |
| In office 20 December 2004 – 20 April 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu |
| Preceded by | Ion Iliescu |
| Succeeded by | Nicolae Văcăroiu (Acting) |
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Mayor of Bucharest
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| In office 26 June 2000 – 20 December 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Viorel Lis |
| Succeeded by | Adriean Videanu |
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| Prime Minister | Petre Roman Theodor Stolojan Victor Ciorbea Radu Vasile Mugur Isărescu |
| Preceded by | Aurel Novac Anton Ionescu |
| Succeeded by | Aurel Novac Anton Ionescu Anca Boagiu |
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| Born | 4 November 1951 Murfatlar, Romania |
| Political party | National Salvation Front (1990 – 1992) Democratic Liberal Party (1992 – 2004) Independent (2004 – present) |
| Spouse | Maria Băsescu |
| Profession | Merchant navy officer |
| Religion | Romanian Orthodox |
Traian Băsescu (Romanian pronunciation: [traˈjan bəˈsesku]; born November 4, 1951) is a Romanian politician and former Merchant Navy officer. He is the current President of Romania, after winning the office in the 2004 presidential election, and being inaugurated on December 20, 2004. Prior to becoming President, he was the Mayor of Bucharest from June 2000 until December 2004.
On April 19, 2007 the Romanian Parliament suspended Băsescu.[1] As the Constitutional Court of Romania acknowledged the Parliament's vote on April 20, 2007,[2] Băsescu remained suspended as president until a referendum which took place on May 19, 2007 confirmed that the impeachment should not stand: 24.75% voted to impeach Băsescu, and 74.48% to maintain him. Băsescu is the first president in the history of Romania who has been officially suspended.
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[edit] Family background
Băsescu was born in Murfatlar, a village (later a small town) near the port city of Constanţa, the largest Romanian port on the Black Sea. Băsescu's father, Dumitru (d. 2002), was an army officer; his mother's first name is Elena (b. 1928). He has a brother, Mircea (b. 1953). Traian Băsescu and his wife Maria have two daughters, Ioana and Elena.
[edit] Professional career
Băsescu graduated from the Naval Institute of Constanţa in 1976 and became a Merchant Marine[3] Officer at Navrom, the Romanian state-owned shipping company. Between 1981 and 1987 he served as Captain on Romanian commercial ships. In 1984 he was promoted to Captain of the oil tanker Biruinţa, the largest ship of the then Romanian commercial fleet. In 1989, Băsescu moved to Belgium to head the Navrom Agency in Antwerp.
[edit] Earlier political career
Băsescu was a member of the pre-1989 Communist Party (PCR). After the downfall of Communism, he claimed that he joined the PCR only in order to promote his career in the merchant marine.
Traian Băsescu entered politics after the 1989 Romanian Revolution, as a member of the large National Salvation Front (FSN) party. In April 1991, he became Minister of Transport in Petre Roman's Cabinet, and continued to hold this position during Theodor Stolojan's "Cabinet of technocrats" in September 1991 - November 1992. In 1992, after the FSN split in two factions—the Social Democratic Party of Romania (PDSR, later PSD), led by Ion Iliescu, and the Democratic Party (PD), led by Petre Roman, Băsescu joined the PD faction. In 1992, he was elected to the lower house of the Romanian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, then re-elected for the 1996-2000 term.
Concurrently with his second term in Parliament, from November 1996 to June 2000, Băsescu also served as Minister of Transport in the center-right governments of Victor Ciorbea, Radu Vasile, and Mugur Isărescu.
In December 1997, he gave an interview to Claudiu Săftoiu of the newspaper Evenimentul Zilei, in which he accused Prime-Minister Victor Ciorbea of not implementing enough reforms, although Ciorbea was accused by the Socialist opposition of being excessively reformist. This became the first episode in an open dispute within the ruling center-right coalition, a dispute that eventually led to Democratic Party ministers, including Băsescu, resigning from the cabinet, which, in turn, led to Ciorbea's resignation. Subsequently (1998), Băsescu resumed his previous ministerial position in the new cabinet headed by Radu Vasile
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[edit] "Dosarul Flota" and apartment purchase controversy
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During his tenure as Minister of Transportation, Băsescu oversaw privatization of Romania's merchant fleet.[citation needed] While some argued that the aging ships at the time were of minimal value,[citation needed] many Romanians believed the compensation received for the ships was artificially low.[citation needed] The "scandal" of the fleet sale became known in Romania as The Fleet File (Dosarul Flota) Affair. Prosecutors brought charges against Băsescu,[citation needed] but it was not proven that he was involved in any malfeasances.[specify] In 1996, Băsescu was the first Romanian parliamentarian to renounce his parliamentary immunity, in order to allow judicial procedures related to the Fleet File Affair to continue against him (Romanian MPs were, by default, granted immunity from prosecution of any kind).[citation needed] Although the case against him was closed at the time for lack of evidence,[citation needed] it was reopened in early 2004, in what many considered a political maneuver against him sponsored by the then PSD government.[citation needed] According to the shorthand of PSD, in 2004 Rodica Stănoiu (minister of Justice at that time) asked Adrian Năstase (Prime Minister at that time) "Do I have a green light for Băsescu's file?"[citation needed] There have been speculations that they tried to blackmail Băsescu with this file.[citation needed] The case was brought before the High Court of Cassation and Justice, however the judges decided to send it back to the Prosecutor's Office citing procedural errors.[citation needed]
In some year in 20th century[when?], Băsescu bought a 369 m² apartment in downtown Bucharest for the equivalent of US$19,301.[citation needed] It has been alleged that Băsescu the mayor approved the sale of the apartment to Băsescu the citizen claiming that in 1999 he was evacuated from a nationalized house administered by the Executive Administrative Division in Charge with Protocol, which he was occupying as minister.[citation needed] The Protocol Division moved Băsescu from Bulevardul Aviatorilor into another house on Strada Prezan that it also administered.[citation needed] The Law 112/1995 prevents, with the provisions of Art. 9, sale to tenants that already owned or sold a house after January 1, 1990,[citation needed] and it is claimed that Băsescu already had a villa in Bǎneasa.[citation needed] When the scandal broke at the beginning of some year in 20th or 21st century,[when?] Băsescu initially stated that he would give up that apartment,[citation needed] but changed his mind later.[citation needed] The prosecutors investigating the matter concluded that, according to the provisions of Law 10/2001, Băsescu did not breach the law when he bought the apartment.[4]
[edit] Mayor of Bucharest
In 2000, Băsescu was elected Mayor of Bucharest, winning the run-off against PDSR candidate Sorin Oprescu by a slim margin (50.69% to 49.31%), despite trailing 24% behind him in the first round.
As Mayor, he was credited with a reduction in the number of stray dogs (although he sometimes used measures such as large-scale euthanasia) roaming freely through the streets of the city from approximately 200,000–300,000 in 2000 to 25,000 in 2004, and thus in the number of dog bite injuries from 1500/month to under 200/month.[5] This campaign was controversial, as many opposed dog euthanasia.[6] On the other hand, there were also numerous cases of people asking the authorities to take the stray dogs away, but after this was done, neighbors, who had been feeding the dogs, would show up at the shelter to take them back to their neighborhoods.[7] The campaign resulted in 47,000 dogs being put down.[8] In 2004, Băsescu presented the situation as a success. Over a year after Băsescu left the office of the Mayor to becomes Romania's president, on January 29, 2006, a Japanese tourist was killed by a stray dog.[9]
Băsescu also claimed success in improvements to the water and lighting systems of the city, which prior to that were in a very bad state;[10] as well as in modernisation of the public transportation system in the city.
His tenure was however marked by constant conflicts with the governing PSD-controlled institutions. Citing the need for decentralisation, the central government led by Adrian Năstase passed several ordinances transferring powers from the city Mayor to Mayors of the city's six sectors and to the city council. Băsescu accused council members of corruption and obstruction; he also successfully challenged several council resolutions in Administrative Courts. As a consequence, on 10 January 2002, the central government decided to dissolve the council, yet it annulled that decision later on. These conflicts led to the blocking or delay of several infrastructure loans, financed by BEI, for municipal heating and road networks, and to blocking city's ability to borrow and finance reconstruction.[citation needed]
In 2004, Băsescu was elected for a second term in office, winning 54.9% of the votes directly in the first round; the runner-up, Mircea Geoană of the PSD, at that time the Foreign Minister of Romania, received 29.7%. Băsescu resigned as Mayor later that year, after winning the presidency of Romania.
[edit] Leader of Justice and Truth Alliance
In 2001, he was elected chairman of the PD, defeating Petre Roman, who had previously led the party for nine years. In 2003, Băsescu negotiated an electoral alliance for the PD with the National Liberal Party (PNL) in order to create a cohesive mainstream center-right political opposition against the then-ruling PSD. The new pact, called the Justice and Truth Alliance (Alianţa DA), ran common candidates in local and national elections, and agreed to vote as a bloc in Parliament. As chairman of PD, he became a co-chairman of the DA alliance alongside the then PNL chairman Theodor Stolojan. In 2003, Stolojan, who was the Justice and Truth candidate for president of Romania in 2004, stepped down as PNL chairman and DA co-chairman, being replaced in these positions by Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu. Although Stolojan announced to have withdrawn because of health concerns, Băsescu claimed to the press that the reason behind this decision was blackmail from political opponents (Stolojan did not confirm this).[11] During these events, Traian Băsescu appeared to stand as a firm supporter of Stolojan, and replaced him as Justice and Truth's presidential candidate.
[edit] President of Romania
| Presidental styles of Traian Băsescu |
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| Reference style | Preşedintele (President) |
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| Spoken style | Preşedintele (President) |
| Alternative style | Domnia Sa/Excelenţa Sa (His Excellency) |
Following Theodor Stolojan's surprise withdrawal from the 2004 presidential elections, Băsescu entered the presidential race on behalf of the Justice and Truth Alliance. His main opponent was then Prime Minister and PSD president Adrian Năstase. Like Băsescu, Năstase was a former Communist Party member. Although Năstase came out ahead in the first round by 7%, Băsescu achieved a surprise comeback and won the December 12 run-off election by a 2.46% margin, receiving 51.23% of the vote. Băsescu won the Presidential election by using an anti-communist and anti-corruption rhetoric. In the live TV debate with Adrian Năstase before the 2004 run-off presidential election, Băsescu caught his opponent off-guard with a rhetorical remark: "You know what Romania's greatest curse is right now? It's that Romanians have to choose between two former Communist Party members."
Running on a strong reform and anti-corruption platform, Băsescu's victory was characterized in the media as Romania's "Orange Revolution", in reference to the reformists' perceived victory in neighboring Ukraine during the same period, and in reference to the orange color used by the winning Justice and Truth Alliance.[12] In line with an agreement between the PD and PNL, he appointed PNL leader Popescu-Tăriceanu as Prime Minister. In order to form a majority, PNL and PD formed a coalition with the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania and the Humanist Party, which later changed its name to the Conservative Party (PC). While the platform of the former has been generally in line with that of the Justice and Truth Alliance, the latter (PC) was needed in the coalition in order to obtain more than 50% of the seats in Parliament, due to the fact that apart from the opposition Social-Democrat Party, many seats were held also by the ultra-nationalist Greater Romania Party.
In late 2006, the PC withdrew from the cabinet, a move at least partially related to conflicts between Băsescu and PC leader Dan Voiculescu. The withdrawal of the PC left the coalition without a majority in the Parliament.
[edit] Conflict with Prime Minister Tăriceanu
Băsescu has remained very popular, due to his open style and hands-on approach. In his electoral campaign, Băsescu promised to be a preşedinte jucător (Romanian), "player-president", in contrast to a more withdrawn president who would be just a mediator among political forces (thus creating in the eyes of some a juridical conflict of a constitutional nature). After he became president, as legally required, he resigned from the Democratic Party. However, he remained very involved in day-to-day politics of Romania, often being accused by other political leaders of overstepping constitutional boundaries on the role of the President. During the course of his presidency, his relations with Popescu-Tăriceanu gradually soured, particularly following the Prime Minister's reversal of course in July 2005 after Tăriceanu initially announced he would resign and prompt early parliamentary elections,[13] which some hoped would have resulted in the Justice and Truth Alliance governing alone. The ensuing poor relations between the President and the Prime Minister have become one of the primary themes of Romanian post-2004 politics,[14] with many unrelated disputes converging to this dichotomy. Under the Romanian Constitution, the president appoints the prime minister, but does not have the authority to dismiss him.
[edit] Impeachment vote by the Parliament
In early 2007, Băsescu was proposed for impeachment by the members of the opposition parties for allegedly unconstitutional conduct.[15] Allegedly, one of the major issues in the confrontation was the activity of Justice Minister Monica Macovei, who supported prosecutors' efforts to follow up on cases of corruption, especially those involving politically connected individuals.[16] Among the main reasons given in the proposal to suspend Băsescu were:
- infringing upon and "substituting the authority" of the Government, the judicial system and the Parliament.
- committing acts of "political partisanship" with direct reference to the Democratic Party, abuse of power and acting more like a "judge of the other public authorities" than a "collaborator", thus "abandoning his role of impartial mediator required by the Romanian Constitution."
- manipulating and "instigating public opinion against other state institutions" such as the Parliament and the Government.
Băsescu and his supporters denied the accusations, stating that his actions and statements were ways of fighting against corruption in the political and judicial systems, and against "circles of business interests" with unlawful purposes.
The Constitutional Court of Romania found no clear evidence of his breach of the Constitution in the sense required by the fundamental law.[17] However, the court ruling was only consultative and the two chambers of the Romanian Parliament voted in favor of Băsescu's impeachment on April 19, 2007, with 322 votes for the impeachment proposal, 108 against and 8 abstentions (the minimum number of votes needed was 233).[18] Băsescu contested the decision, but the Constitutional Court rejected his appeal as inadmissible, and upheld the vote.
In the meantime, the independent Macovei and the PD ministers had been dismissed by Prime Minister Popescu-Tăriceanu, while the European election had been postponed to the fall of 2007. Pro-Băsescu politicians have characterized the anti-Băsescu coalition that formed as "the black alliance", as it contained a broad spectrum of political parties and interests: Social-Democrats favoring heavy state involvement in the economy, National-Liberals and Conservatives favoring business interests, Hungarian minority MPs, and anti-Hungarian ultra-nationalists.[19]
[edit] Criticism
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Băsescu is a major target of criticism by his political opponents.
On January 11, 2007, Băsescu presided over the first half of the meeting of the Consiliul Suprem al Magistraturii (CSM; Superior Council of the Magistracy) at which the election of a new President of CSM took place. Before the candidacies were announced, Băsescu publicly said to judge Anton Pandrea: "I heard you have announced your candidacy, Mr. Pandrea. I wish you great success" ((Romanian)"Am auzit că v-aţi depus candidatura, domnule Pandrea. Vă urez mult succes") His former counsellor Renate Weber later claimed that if Băsescu wouldn't have said those words, Pandrea might not have been elected: "If the President hadn’t said that, it would have been another candidacy, if not another President." When asked by the press, Băsescu responded to this criticism with: “I did wrong, I did wrong”[20]
In the spring of 2007, when Foreign Minister Mihai-Răzvan Ungureanu resigned, Băsescu refused to accept Prime-Minister Tăriceanu's nomination of Adrian Cioroianu as the country's new Minister of Foreign Affairs, claiming that Cioroianu did not have enough experience. On April 5, 2007, the Constitutional Court decided that "The Romanian President's refusal to name a member of Government at the proposal of Prime Minister started a juridical conflict of a constitutional nature.[...] The Romanian President doesn't have veto power, but, if he observes that the proposed person does not correspond to the legal conditions required to be a member of Government, he can ask the Prime Minister to renounce his proposal".[citation needed] On the same day (two months after Ungureanu announced his resignation and 17 days after Ungureanu's resignation was accepted by the president), Băsescu accepted Cioroianu and the latter assumed office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the 2004 presidential campaign, before a TV interview with PSD counter-candidate Adrian Năstase, Băsescu gave the latter a paper and told him: “Put it in Your pocket and read it when You are away!”[21] Similarly, in June 2006, at the oath-taking ceremony of Radu Stroe as the new secretary general of the Government, Băsescu gave him a sheet of paper as a "gift". After seeing it, Stroe went pale and refused to make its content public. When asked, Băsescu said its content was not classified.[22] Both Adrian Năstase and Radu Stroe were previously involved in corruption scandals.[23]
In 2007, when Traian Băsescu was temporarily suspended from Presidency, he said in a meeting: "It seems [former] President Ion Iliescu turned to more modern means [of removing political opponents], this time without calling the miners to "defend the country", but used 322 Members of Parliament for my impeachment. These are 322* miners-MPs [who voted his impeachment], which, after 20 May, should be sent with stripes to the mines in Valea Jiului"[24] In referring to the Romanian 2008 Parliamentary Elections, he once said "In autumn 2008, let's throw the 322 over the Parliament balustrade."[25]. Another time he said the parliament is a “physical wreck shortly before clinical death”[26]
Once upon a time Elena Udrea recalled she saw a note written by Prime Minister Tăriceanu to Băsescu.[citation needed] Băsescu stated about this note: “Prime Minister offered me a partnership, but, unfortunately, with [it was] our oligarchies” [27] Dan Voiculescu came up with a note written by President Băsescu on a request of ALRO for cheap electrical energy: ”Minister Seres, I ask you to analize this letter and take measures according to Government’s interests and, if possible with the interest of national economy in mind."[28] Later,[when?] President Băsescu to the Minister of Transports commented in response to a request by a private company asking the public railroad company CFR to pay its debt: ”Minister Dobre, I ask you to analyze it and find a legal solution.”[29] It is not clear how the later is an instance of criticism of Băsescu.
Once,[when?] Traian Băsescu has been photographed by paparazzi while driving home in his own car from a pub where he has been watching a soccer game. He was accused in the media of driving under the influence,[30] probably on the assumption that he had consumed alcohol in the pub.[specify]
[edit] Alleged racial slurs
On May 19, 2007, the day of the suspension referendum, Traian Băsescu forcibly took a mobile phone from an Antena 1 journalist Andreea Pană, who was filming the him while he was shopping. Forgetting to turn it off, he was recorded in a remark to his wife while in his car to refer to Pană as a stinking gypsy.[31][32] The recording was made public by the Antena 1 TV station after the phone was returned to the Pană the next day. After public outcry, Băsescu's spokesman expressed regret over the fact that an inappropriate expression in a private discussion became public.[33] Băsescu also received a warning for this comment from the National Council for Combating Discrimination, Romania's equality watchdog.
In another instance, Băsescu called the doctor who operated on him "the first competent Armenian I have met", referencing the Romanian finance minister Varujan Vosganian, who is of Armenian descent and whom Basescu considered incompetent.[34].
While on TV, the Romanian President once said: "The involvement [by the media] in the private life, even President's [private life], should have limits. I wish Antena TV group would apologize at least once for the so many insults I received from them. But for the journalist as woman, I am sorry! And that's it, a woman should not be insulted, even in remarks to my wife.[...] I don't like when I'm gratuitously insulted and I sometimes break out. And I don't like when one enters into the intimacy of my life. For example, to profit from a discussion with my wife, while in the car, and then, as in Communist Security times, to be judged for what you have thought unpublicly, or for an unpublic remark."[35]
The president of the Commission for Human Rights, Cults and Minorities (Comisia pentru drepturile omului, culte si minoritati) in the Chamber of Deputies, Nicolae Păun, who is himself part of the Roma community, stated that President Băsescu is not a racist and cannot be condemned for a statement made in private, as "it was not a statement made in public with a specific racist content or disdain towards the Roma community" [36]. Păun added that the majority of Romanian citizens use the word "gypsy" in a pejorative way when angry, many of them also using it in public: "As an MP and representative of the Roma ethnicity in the Romanian parliament, I cannot condemn the statement of the President of Romania, Traian Băsescu, for the fact that in a moment of frustration, in a discussion with his wife in the interior of his personal car, he used the term "filthy gypsy". To be able to condemn such a statement I would have to conduct the following experiment: secretly install microphones in the houses of all high-ranking officials, starting with the Prime Minister, Ministers, Senators, MPs, listen to what they say about the Roma minority and make the recordings public. I'm sure that this experiment would prove what is the true mentality of politicians toward the Roma minority."[37] Păun concluded by saying that "the President of Romania, Traian Băsescu, through this unhappy incident, has the opportunity to prove once more to the Roma community that he is not racist".[38]
Romani CRISS, on the other hand, issued a letter of protest, saying "Romani Criss consider unacceptable for the Romanian President to use such a tough tongue, sexist and racist alike. The President publicly addressed a journalist, in the frame of a professional relation, with an offending and disgraceful term[...] Romanian President willingly sought a humiliating, offending environment of inferiority for the journalist, on sexual membership criterion[...] Perceived or real, the ethnicity of the journalist is, for the President, a reason for insult, offence and verbal attack."[39] The attorney of Romani CRISS stated that President's apologises are not accepted by them because the apologies do not imply the President apologised for what he said, but only for it being made public.[40] Renate Weber stressed that President Băsescu's act of taking the phone of the journalist is infringing upon the right of property, being of criminal nature.[41] Other criticism came from the International Federation of Journalists [42], the Agenţia de Monitorizare a Presei, and the Clubul Român de Presă.[43]
Romania's National Council for Combating Discrimination, at the request of Romani CRISS and the Forumul European al Romilor si Travelerilor analised the incident, and on May 23 decided the usage of the word "chick" is not of such nature to bring in responsibility, but, "the language used is not appropriate and sends negative messages in public space, taking into account the high official Traian Băsescu is." Regarding the expression "filthy gypsy", it was qualified as discrimination and Traian Băsescu was sanctioned with a warning.[44] Traian Băsescu challenged this decision, claiming "it is unnacceptable that a discussion held in intimacy, which wouldn't have had public effects, to be the object of analysis by a Romanian state institution, such an approach being one specific to the former Securitate"[45]
[edit] Impeachment referendum
As a result of the impeachment vote by the Parliament, Băsescu was suspended from his function as president on April 19, 2007,[1] and a national referendum was held on May 19, 2007[46][47] to decide by popular vote whether to dismiss the President. According to the electoral law (article 5(2) of the Referendum Law), an absolute majority of all Romanians with the right to vote is required for a positive result in a dismissal referendum, which means that almost 9 million people would have had to vote against Băsescu.[48] After the impeachment vote, several public rallies to support Băsescu in the referendum and protest against his suspension were organized by PD and PLD both in Romania (Bucharest, Iaşi, etc.), as well as abroad (e.g. in Madrid).
On April 17, Băsescu stated that if Parliament voted for his impeachment, he would resign "five minutes" after the vote, avoiding a referendum for dismissal and triggering early presidential elections. However, on April 20 he decided not to resign, claiming he wished to limit the period of political instability.[49][50]
Băsescu and his supporters in the Democratic Party also suggested that his political opponents would try to modify the electoral law in order to obstruct a previously suspended president to run in the elections again,[51] following a Rolandas Paksas scenario.
On April 25, the Constitutional Court approved the modifications brought by parliament to the Referendum Law. The new article 10 (regarding the presidential impeachment process) considers that the impeachment process "will be approved through the majority of votes for the participants at the referendum, and article 5(2) does not apply to this type of referendum". Therefore, the 19 May referendum remained valid, despite the participation of less than 40% of eligible Romanians.[52] However, since only a 25% minority of voters voted in the affirmative, Băsescu regained full prerogatives on May 24, after the referendum results were confirmed.
[edit] Foreign policy
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Băsescu repeatedly stated that Romania's accession to the European Union remained a top priority, and he was president when the country acceded on January 1, 2007. Both the president and the government of Prime Minister Popescu-Tăriceanu focused on Romania's planned accession to the EU, which remained a central component in Romania's foreign policy.
In addition, Băsescu has focused on a strong strategic partnership with the United States, a relationship which during the 2004 presidential campaign he called the "Bucharest-London-Washington axis". In real terms, this meant a continued commitment to maintain Romanian troops in Afghanistan and a smaller contingent in Iraq; and an agreement signed in December 2005 between Romania and the U.S. to allow U.S. troops to use a Romanian military facility (Mihail Kogălniceanu military airport). Băsescu made strong ties with the President of the United States, who in return called him a friend: "The President and I are friends. Romania and the United States are friends, and we're allies".
In June 2006, Băsescu came into open conflict with Popescu-Tăriceanu after the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister announced that they and the PNL sought to withdraw Romania's troops from Iraq. However, the troops stayed in Iraq, after Băsescu called a meeting of the Supreme Defense Council, which voted that the troops should stay.[53]
Băsescu has been vocal in calling for a regional approach to security in the Black Sea basin, which he noted remained susceptible to trans-border security threats such as drug and human trafficking. Băsescu alleged "that Russia might have been involved in his suspension", citing his pro-Western foreign policy as a reason.[54]
Băsescu has tried to improve Romania's relations with Moldova, with which Romania shares a common language and culture. Furthermore, he has expressed several times his belief in the future unification of the two countries, either politically or in the framework of the European Union. His player attitude has brought some practical success, but also an increase in anti-Romanian rhetoric from the Communist government of Moldova, led by Vladimir Voronin. A divisive issue remains to this day the opening of two Romanian consulates outside the capital of Moldova, as well as 900,000 Moldovans applying for Romanian citizenship. In both cases, Băsescu strongly supported moves at strengthening relations with Moldova, while the Moldovan leadership sought to cool down Băsescu's energy.
Băsescu stated that Romania regards Kosovo as an integral part of Serbia as an outcome of Kosovo status process and that Romania will not recognize any unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo.[55][56]
[edit] Domestic policy
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In domestic politics, Băsescu often has claimed he fights against high-level corruption. In spring 2005, Romania resolved a hostage crisis in Iraq involving three Romanian journalists and their guide. In 2005, he also focused on pressing the government to provide relief to thousands of Romanians left homeless by widespread flooding throughout the spring and summer.
On 18 December 2006, Băsescu delivered a speech to Parliament (broadcast live on TV) in which he condemned Romania's pre-1989 communist regime. Some members of the opposition, mainly of the ultra-nationalist Greater Romania Party (PRM), and some members of the mainstream Social Democratic Party, tried to disturb the speech. Particularly vocal was the ultra-nationalist PRM leader Corneliu Vadim Tudor, who walked with posters throughout the Parliament floor, whistled and interrupted Băsescu speech several times.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Romania's MPs suspend president" "BBC News, April 19, 2007
- ^ "Romanian Constitutional Court confirms suspension of president from post", Xinhua, April 20, 2007
- ^ [1]
- ^ (Romanian)Gandul:Istoria dobandirii imobilului din Mihaileanu - intesata de minciunile presedintelui
- ^ source : The Administration of Animal Control (ASA) of the Mayor's Office of Bucharest, 2003
- ^ Formula-As,Scrisori adresate primarului general al Capitalei ("Letters Addressed to the General Mayor of Bucharest")
- ^ Observator, [2], January 20, 2004
- ^ Cainii vagabonzi, problema si solutii... - Despre toate
- ^ Gardianul, Un japonez a murit în capitală muşcat de un câine vagabond ("A Japanese Died in Bucharest after Being Bitten by a Stray Dog"), January 30, 2006
- ^ Bucharest's Mayor's Office - Improvement of water and light
- ^ BBC interview
- ^ Vivid Election 2004 February 2005
- ^ Romania's Tariceanu Reverses Decision on Resignation (SETimes.com)
- ^ http://english.hotnews.ro/Romanian-President-in-open-conflict-with-prime-minister-articol_44137.htm
- ^ http://www.hotnews.ro/arhiva_avt/3542.pdf
- ^ http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/03/13/feature-02
- ^ http://www.hotnews.ro/arhiva_avt/3796.pdf
- ^ "Romanian Parliament Suspends President", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, April 19, 2007.
- ^ „Coalitia neagra” - sesizata la UE, Antena 3
- ^ Romania Libera:Presedintele, criticat de Renate Weber
Gandul:Băsescu se scoate iar cu "am gresit-o, am gresit-o" - ^ Realitatea TV: 100% cu Robert Turcescu invitat Adrian Năstase
- ^ (Romanian) Cristian Oprea, "Băsescu l-a defectat pe Stroe cu o hirtiuţă", Cotidianul, June 2, 2006
- ^ Dan Badea, Micile secrete ale lui ... Radu Stroe
- ^ (Romanian)Gandul:Ion Iliescu îl atacă din nou pe Traian Băsescu: (Romanian) "Se pare că domnul Ion Iliescu a trecut la mijloace mai moderne, de data asta fără să cheme minerii în "apărarea ţării", ci a apelat la 322 de parlamentari pentru suspendarea mea. Sunt 322 de mineri-parlamentari, care, după 20 mai, ar trebui să-i ducem cu lămpaşul în minele din Valea Jiului"
- ^ Gandul:România nu-i ca Franţa :Traian Băsescu: "În toamna 2008, să-i aruncăm peste balustrada Parlamentului pe cei 322”
- ^ The Times: The phone-in president who needs people power to get his palace back: (Romanian)"o şandrama intrată în moarte clinică"
- ^ HotNews.ro - Băsescu dezvaluie continutul biletelului trimis de Tariceanu - Arhiva noiembrie 2007 Romanian: ”Domnul prim-ministru imi propunea un parteneriat, dar, din pacate, cu oligarhiile noastre”.
- ^ Cotidianul:[3] (Romanian)„Domnule ministru Seres, va rog analizati aceasta scrisoare si dispuneti masuri in conformitate cu interesele Guvernului, si daca este posibil si cu interesele economiei nationale".
- ^ Adevarul:[4](Romanian)„D-l Ministru Dobre Rog analizaţi şi rezolvare legală"
- ^ Cotidianul,Băsescu a băut şi s-a suit la volan (Băsescu drank and drove)
- ^ (Romanian) Băsescu insults an Antena 3 journalist
- ^ "Basescu chided for 'gypsy' remark", BBC News, 23 May 2007
- ^ (Romanian) Traian Băsescu apologises to the Antena 1 reporter
- ^ Vosganian îl acuză pe Băsescu de „genocid moral” - Gandul
- ^ Cotidianul:Băsescu: Mi-aş dori să fi primit scuze de cite ori am fost jignit pe televiziunile trustului Antena: (Romanian)“Intrarea in viaţa privată, chiar şi a presedintelui, are limite. Mi-aş dori ca, de cîte ori am fost jignit pe televiziunile trustului Antena, să fi primit măcar o singura dată scuze. Insă ca femeie, pentru ziaristă, îmi pare rău! Şi asta e, o femeie, chiar şi în discuţiile cu soţia mea, nu trebuia jignită" [...] Nu-mi place când sunt jignit gratuit şi uneori izbucnesc. Şi nu îmi place când se intră în intimitatea vieţii mele. Ca, de exemplu, să profiţi de o discuţie pe care o ai cu soţia, în maşină, după care, ca pe vremea Securităţii, să fii judecat pentru ce ai gândit nepublic sau pentru o apreciere nepublică”
- ^ (Romanian)The Roma representative in parliament: "Băsescu is not racist": (Romanian)"nu este vorba de o afirmatie intr-un mod public cu o anumita incarcatura rasiala si dispret fata de comunitatile de rromi"
- ^ (Romanian)The Roma representative in parliament: "Băsescu is not racist": (Romanian)"In calitate de deputat, reprezentant al etniei rromilor in Parlamentul Romaniei, nu pot condamna afirmatia preşedintelui Romaniei, Traian Băsescu, pentru faptul că intr-un moment de nervozitate, intr-o discuţie cu soţia domniei sale, in maşina personală, a folosit apelativul de «ţigancă impuţită». Ca să pot condamna această afirmaţie ar trebui să recurg la următorul experiment: să montez microfoane in toate casele demnitarilor, în mod secret, incepînd cu primul-ministru, miniştri, senatori, deputaţi, şi să aud ce vorbesc despre minoritatea rromă, iar după aceea toate aceste inregistrări să le fac publice. Sunt convins că acest experiment ne-ar dovedi cu adevărat care este mentalitatea majoritarilor cu privire la minoritatea rroma."
- ^ (Romanian)The Roma representative in parliament: "Băsescu is not racist": (Romanian)"Concluzionez prin a spune ca presedintele Romaniei, Traian Băsescu, prin acest nefericit incident, are prilejul să dovedească înca o dată comunităţilor de rromi că nu este rasist'"
- ^ Romani CRISS:Scrisoare de protest adresata Presedintelui Romaniei
- ^ Evenimentul Zilei:Palatul Cotroceni, asaltat de reprezentantii rromilor,21 May 2007
- ^ (Romanian)Soros Foundation:Reactie la incidentul dintre Presedintele Traian Băsescu si Ziarista Andreea Pana - Comunicat de presa, 21 May 2007
- ^ (English)IFJ:IFJ Condemns Romanian President after “Abusive and Offensive” Comments to Reporter,May 22,2007
- ^ (Romanian) The filthy gypsy woman became a lady
- ^ (Romanian)Consiliul National pentru Combaterea Discriminarii: [5] -comunicat de presa May 23, 2007
- ^ Adevarul:Traian Băsescu contestă decizia CNCD May 23, 2007: (Romanian)"Preşedintele României Traian Băsescu respinge categoric decizia Consiliului Naţional pentru Combaterea Discriminării. Preşedintele Traian Băsescu consideră că este inacceptabil ca o discuţie în intimitate, care nu ar fi produs efecte publice, să facă obiectul analizei unei instituţii a statului român, această abordare fiind una specifică fostei Securităţi"
- ^ [6] (Hotnews.ro article)
- ^ HotNews.ro - Referendumul pentru demiterea lui Băsescu poate avea loc pe 19 mai - Arhiva noiembrie 2007
- ^ Pentru demitere sunt necesare circa 9 milioane de voturi - Realitatea TV - Politică
- ^ Preşedintele României
- ^ HotNews.ro - Anghelescu era deprimat - Arhiva noiembrie 2007
- ^ HotNews.ro - Finantare guvernamentala pentru programul Marco Polo - Arhiva noiembrie 2007
- ^ http://www.ccr.ro/default.aspx?lang=EN
- ^ DefenseNews.com
- ^ Clej, Petru. "Romanian politics mired in abuse". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/.stm.
- ^ Bucharest favors Kosovo within Serbia B92
- ^ Romania opposes Kosovo independence Armenian News
[edit] Other references
- Asociatia Civic Media, May 2007 "Piata Universitatii respinge noul puci al Moscovei" ("Supporting Basescu, Civic Net - University Square is opposing the new coup-de-etat of Moscow inspiration")
- Cronica Română, 22 June 2006 "Constantinescu îl acuză pe Băsescu de colaborare cu Securitatea" ("Constantinescu accuses Băsescu of collaborating with the Securitate")
- Evenimentul, 14 December 2005. "Emil Constantinescu a adus documente despre care spune că atestă colaborarea preşedintelui Traian Băsescu cu Securitatea" ("Emil Constantinescu brought documents of which he says that prove the collaboration of President Traian Băsescu with the Securitate")
- Oana Stancu, Strada Mihăileanu - Băsescu vede legal ce e ilegal ("Mihǎileanu Street - Băsescu sees as legal what is illegal"), Jurnalul Naţional, 25 November 2005
- Andrei Tudor, Dosarul «Casa din Mihǎileanu»: Băsescu a bǎtut şaua Morar şi a priceput iapa Botoş ("'House on Mihǎileanu' file: Băsescu has beaten the Morar saddle so that the [Ilie] Botoş mare may understand" (reference to a traditional Romanian saying), Gardianul, 15 December 2005
- Ramona Lică, NUP pentru Băsescu în dosarul „Casa din Mihăileanu“ ("NUP (Neînceperea Urmǎririi Penale - Decision of non-indictment) for Băsescu in 'House on Mihǎileanu' file", Gândul, 11 January, 2006
- Maria Manoliu, Băsescu nu mai dǎ inapoi casa de pe Mihǎileanu ("Băsescu no longer giving back the house on Mihǎileanu", Adevărul, 18 February 2005, accessed on HotNews.ro. 24 March 2006.
- Narcis Iordache Dosarul Flota reinviat pentru a fi ingropat ("The Fleet File resurrects in order to be buried again"), Evenimentul Zilei, 6 December 2005.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Traian Băsescu |
- (Romanian) Basescu.ro: Official candidacy site
- (Romanian) Basescu.org: Civic Net support site
- Official web site of the President of Romania
- Traian Băsescu's short biography on the Romanian Presidency web site
- (Romanian) Traian Băsescu's Curriculum Vitae
- BBC Profile: Traian Băsescu
- Analyzing EU Article
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Viorel Lis |
Mayor of Bucharest 2000 – 2004 |
Succeeded by Adriean Videanu |
| Preceded by Ion Iliescu |
President of Romania 2004 – 2007 |
Succeeded by Nicolae Văcăroiu Acting |
| Preceded by Nicolae Văcăroiu Acting |
President of Romania 2007 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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