Court verdict: Romania President Basescu proved discriminatory behavior but calling somebody names was not against law

A Bucharest court decided that a statement made by President Traian Basescu to a journalist a year ago, calling her names, was not a legal contravention despite being an act of discrimination. On May 19, the day of a failed referendum aimed at removing him from office, President Basescu was disturbed while shopping by the questions posed by a journalist, Andreea Pana. He then called her „stinky journalist” and took her phone recording him – which he later gave back.

Andreea Pana then made public the audio/video file. Four days after the event Romania’s National Anti-Discrimination Council gave Basescu a public warning for the offense.

Basescu challenged this decision in court and magistrates decided that the public had every right to be informed. Moreover, they ruled that Basescu’s calling Pana names was a discriminatory act. Basescu did not abandon the issue and challenged the decision again, at a higher court which accepted the President’s appeal on Thursday.