Ponta's plagiarism scandal now campaign issue

In the plagiarism scandal involving Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta's doctoral thesis the ethics committee appointed by the Ministry of Education announced on Thursday that it doesn't see any evidence of the prime minister having lifted text for his paper. In doing so it contradicts the National Council for Attesting Titles, Diplomas and University Certificates (CNATDCU), which ruled at the end of July that Ponta had plagiarised a third of his paper. The daily Gândul can't understand the ethics committee's ruling: "Anyone who can read Romanian sees immediately what primitive plagiarism we are dealing with here. … But few Romanians will actually scrutinise the paper. Some believe the plagiarism was just a story fabricated by a snooping Băsescu [the president now suspended by the parliament]. Others condemn the plagiarism not because it's academically reprehensible but because they're trying to help Băsescu [in the election campaign ahead of the referendum on his impeachment]. … The prime minister is probably most honest with himself on this subject and is asking himself: why all the fuss about a doctorate? It's just a title that makes you look good in the world of politics. Everyone does a bit of cribbing for it."

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