Romanian President says he "lent a helping hand" to elect President Voronin in 2005, Romanian opposition asks for explanations

In the wake of the July 29 parliamentary elections, Moldovan politics has been a subject of bickering between the Romanian President and a few political parties that are generally considered to be unsupportive of Mr. Basescu.

On Thursday, Romanian head of state Traian Basescu told Romanian Public Radio that "President Voronin probably remembered that at one point I lent a helping hand to him when he was trying to form a majority after the last elections [Imedia: referring to 2005, when President Voronin had a falling out with the Russian leadership and turned to the West, declaring European integration as a national priority]. [...] This time, President Voronin cannot hope for my support in order to get the majority he needs to appoint a President."

Titus Corlatean, head of the Romanian Senate's Foreign Affairs Committee and a leading member of the Social Democratic Party, said Mr. Basescu's statements made him "a party to and responsible for the entire drama of Moldovan society in the last four years." The Social Democrats are currently in a grand coalition with the pro-presidential Democratic Liberal Party, but the two partners have not been getting along as the November presidential elections get closer.

The opposition National Liberal Party, also released a press statement calling Mr. Basescu's statement "a major foreign policy blunder" that could "place Romania in a delicate position within the European Union."

h/t www.jurnal.md
www.realitatea.tv