Romania opposes EU observation

The latest EU Commission monitoring report on Romania was quite negative. Romanian president Traian Băsescu has now announced to the parliamentary party leaders that something has to happen by July 2009 so that the EU Commission no longer will be scrutinizing the country. The daily paper Evenimentul Zilei criticizes the move: "Băsescu considers the monitoring 'relatively humiliating' and 'every EU member' has 'the right to reject commentary that displeases them'. In other words, the president is sick and tired of European functionaries threatening to take away the baby bottle if we do not behave. Does anyone believe that Romanian politicians will be able to bring the deficit noted by Brussels under control within the next 11 months? Especially given that the coming parliamentary elections are in November, followed by the reshuffling of the government, which in the best-case scenario will take until December, and then in the spring the madness of the upcoming presidential elections begins. I am afraid that Băsescu is trying to trigger a political offensive that will cause the EU Commission to close its eyes to the situation in Romania. The parties could consolidate, not to solve the problems in the justice system but to bring an end to discussion about the degree of corruption. Because that's the old fear of Romanian politicians who suggest that Romania is no more corrupt than any other European nation."

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