Helen, the Trojan War and the Romanian Bluff
Monday 23 April 2007
When present events seem more like a story than reality, it may be useful to learn a few lessons from mythology.
Disputes, problems and even solutions can be found in any good myth. As Romanian politics becomes more and more like a Greek tragedy, with current leaders of the country playing the roles ancient actors played before; I wonder whether politics is inspired by these tales or are we victims of them? If the latter is true then is there any way to learn from the lessons of mythology?
The continuous struggle between Prime Minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, and President, Traian Basescu, has been well documented by the international media as well as being a reason of concern for EU leaders. However Thursday’s suspension of the Romanian President should not be interpreted as the end of the war between the two. Basescu may have lost the battle, but he has not yet lost the war. Always willing to take a risk, this very active President pushed the Romanian Parliament to proceed with his suspension warning: ‘if you suspend me I will quit in five minutes’ but ‘if you do not manage to suspend me, I’ll take care of you all.’ He was suspended. The strongest political figure after Ceausescu’s fall has been at last defeated. Politicians and journalists waited for his resignation as promised, but the President returned to the citizens and “forgot” his earlier statement. Romania is now likely to hold a national referendum, which will take place whether Basescu is dismissed or not.
Moral issues and political disputes as well as international reports on the decrease of the Romanian rating on political stability are flourishing in the media. Different scenarios are directed a priori, but everybody seems to have completely forgotten about the bone of contention.
What is not so well known in the international media is another inevitable character in any such story, and that is the beautiful woman. Why and how did Elena manage to become such an important figure are questions that can probably solve the mystery of the war between the Romanian leaders, as well as the suspension of the Romanian President. Let us not forget that the Prime Minister in Romania was appointed by the President forming a coalition government. What is it that interrupted normal and stable political activity? What was it that produced such childish behaviours and complete amnesia about the absorption of EU Funds, judicial reform and economic development in the fresh EU member state?
As an answer to the above questions it is necessary to present the dimension of the name Elena in relation to our story….It is for a better understanding to begin with Elena (Helen) “the most beautiful from the mortals”, daughter of Zeus and Leda. In the myth Elena falls in love with Paris and leaves with him to Troy, the Trojan War then ensues and lasts for ten years. Then there is Elena Lupescu, a woman who was so loved by the Romanian King Carol II that he abdicated his throne for her.
The last, but not least is Elena Udrea, the contemporary Elena of our story. She was a state councillor and Chief of the Presidential Clerical between 2004 and 2005. It is believed that she is the love and the protégée of the Romanian President. She was not loved both by the Prime Minister and the President, as the Greek Elena by Paris and Menelaus, but she was used as a pretext for the political disputes between the two leaders. The most significant and intriguing accusations that were brought against the Prime Minister from the Presidential Palace always had the same messenger: Elena. TV appearances, journal interviews containing fairy-tales and/or truths about different dirty matters of Tariceanu, they all had the same star named. Every political party needs to be concerned with the income it can realise. In Romania donations from business are limited and therefore Romanian political parties tend to hide some illegitimate or even legitimate financial interests. The verbal attack of Elena Udrea about party funding was directed mainly at the Prime Minister but, somewhere along the line the Liberal Party’s sponsor, Dinu Patriciu was also accused. Moreover, penal charges have been brought against the latter yet his situation has not been clarified. In the beginning the Democratic Party of Basescu needed the Liberal Party of Tariceanu during the elections in 2004 to form a coalition to govern the country. However it became more and more obvious that the Democrats’ intentions were to afterwards, somehow govern Romania alone.
Like Paris, enthusiastic and impulsive, the Romanian President fought alongside his own Elena. Basescu however had his own Trojan horse. Once the final roll of the dice was done and the President muddled with the suspension procedure, he expected something else than the crushing majority of 322 votes in favour of suspension, 108 against and 10 abstentions. Together with the Social Democrats and the Hungarian Union Party, Tariceanu’s liberals kept silent inside their Trojan horse and voted with fervour such as the Achaeans had when defeating the Trojans.
Ancient Greeks considered the Trojan War to be a historical event. Although there is no proven evidence that Homer’s Troy ever existed. It probably occurs like a kaleidoscope (e.g. Lithuania in 2004), but for a while Romania can lightly correspond with the burning Troy.
By Liliana-Codruta Filip, EUD researcher
For more information, please contact liliana@eudemocrats.org