romania pays the price it has to pay

Friday 16 February 2007

The Romanian political stage is currently subject to the worse drama since the failure of communism. Between the questionable reforms undertaken by President Traian Basescu, the never-ending conflict with prime-minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, and the assumption that Romanian political life is directed by a few economic groups, the hopes of its citizens in a better future has gone, along with its credibility in the eyes of the EU leaders.

Public scandals are regularly related in the press. Along with his prime-minister, president Basescu is accused to serve private economic interest leading many Romanian to wonder who is really leading the country. The most recent scandal is based on a declaration of the president’s presumed mistress revealing a secret notice sent by prime-minister Tariceanu. In this notice, Mr. Tariceanu was reported asking for the president’s help in favour of an economic magnate. Although the content of that notice was not clearly incriminating Tariceanu of satisfying anyone’s interest, the smear has played in favour of the president. In return, political attacks at the presidency are more and more numerous, seriously undermining the good collaboration that should characterize the president’s relationship to the executive. As a result, Romania is lacking the essential reforms it needs in order to face the European challenges. Yet the media talk about a political crisis and foresee the possibility of an anticipated re-election procedure.

The Social Democrat Party, supported by members of other political parties from the opposition, announced its intention to call for a national referendum on the president’s suspension. In the meantime, Traian Basescu, using his Constitutional right, proposed to hold a referendum on the necessity to reform the electoral law. The question he wants to bring before the Romanian people concerns the possibility to allow voting for a specific person instead of voting for a whole party. But coming from the president, who is always in conflict with other leaders, the sincerity of his idea is to raise some doubts. In fact, his proposal is probably an excuse to get rid of the Social Democrat procedure. The president’s suspension would allow the re-opening of a criminal investigation on him giving away the Romanian float in a suspicious deal when he was minister of transport. Furthermore, a new mandate could save him from facing any trial at all, as his case will be prescribed by the time his second mandate ends.

While the Romanian leaders are busy dealing with private matters, the citizens feel left aside when it comes to solving their problems or the challenges brought by the EU. There is no strategy, no advice and little information about the changes that affect Romania since the EU accession. Most of the people’s attention is drained by the never-ending episodes of their politicians’ lives.

Moreover, Basescu’s inaptitude is not limited to the national sphere; there are some regrettable errors on the international stage too. With statements like “Moldavia should also be helped to join the EU” or “Finding an alternative to the Russian gas should be number one priority in the EU” or “Black Sea is a Russian lake”, Basescu is far from mastering the language of diplomacy. No wonder that the relationship between Romania and Russia has come to a lot of tension. As a result, Romania is now paying the highest price in Europe for Russian gas (285 dollars per one thousand cube meters). Romania’s image among EU leaders is not much better. Basescu’s acting partner, Tariceanu, appointed Varujan Vosganian, a well known informer of the Communist Party Secret Service (Securitate) currently involved in businesses with different Romanian oligarchs to the post of Commissioner. Although the international pressure combined with a national scandal forced Vosganian to resign, Tariceanu’s credibility has suffered from the move.

“Romania is paying the price it has to pay”, Gazprom’s director assistant Medvedev said. Then, I am afraid that the ticket for this political show is too expensive for the terrible acting of its performers.

By Liliana-Codruta Filip, EUD researcher
For more information, please contact: liliana@eudemocrats.org