ROMANIA: Romanian President Traian Basescu would rather face impeachment referendum next month than step down

Romanian President Traian Basescu said on Friday (April 20) he would face an impeachment referendum next month rather than step down after parliament temporarily suspended him on charges of power abuse. The popular reformist, who had previously said he would quit if suspended, remained defiant, saying new presidential elections would drag out political instability in Romania. His removal from office has sparked concern in the European Union, which Romania joined this year, about the future of EU-driven justice reforms and the fight against rampant graft. It also increased worries that the deepening political crisis will hurt the Balkan state's preparations to absorb billions of euros in EU aid and could scare away the foreign investors who are funding much of its efforts to modernise. ""I have decided the best solution for Romania, to end the crises as quikly as possible is for me to stay until (impeachment) referendum," Basescu, 55, told reporters. "I have received many signals from abroad that require a fast restoration of political stability in Romania." Basescu stands a good chance to win the referendum, likely to take place on May 20, and return to office. Opinion polls show him backed by 50 percent of Romanians, mostly due to his support for anti-graft reforms and straight-talking attitude. Until the vote, leftist Senate speaker Nicolae Vacaroiu, a 63-year-old economist who was a Social Democrat prime minister between 1992 and 1996, will serve as interim president. His government was criticised by Western observers for slow reforms and delays in restructuring communist-era industries to maintain low unemployment at the expense of state finances. Romania's leftist governments, which ruled the country from 1989, when a bloody revolution overthrew communism, until 1996, and then again from 2000 to 2004, have also been blamed by diplomats and analysts for allowing corruption to thrive. Basescu's suspension on charges, which the constitutional court has said are groundless, follows months of jostling for influence among Basescu's ruling centrists and Vacaroiu's leftist opposition PSD party. Observers said the PSD-proposed suspension was an attempt to regain power lost amid sleaze scandals. It won support from many centrists, often at loggerheads with Basescu over policies. The leftists said Basescu has overstepped his constitutional powers, by fomenting political instability, putting pressure on the judiciary and interfering in favour of interest groups.

ITN Source | April 21, 2007

Tags:. .often. .investors. .eu. .polls. .hurt