Romania president Traian Basescu may not run for second term

Romania President Traian Basescu said on Monday evening that he might give up running for president in case the governing coalition proves a failure. Basescu admits that negotiations took place in 2007 for a governing alliance made of Social Democrats (PSD) and Democratic Liberals (PDL), which should have come to power after bringing down the Tariceanu government through a censure motion.

„Since that motion was rejected, all negotiations stopped, until the forming of the new Government”, said Basescu in a show broadcast by public television TVR.

Basescu also said that a loan from the International Monetary Fund would be a mistake. „Romania should take the 6 billion Euro it needs from EU funds”, said Basescu.

Other statements, in brief:

• One can’t run for president after the failure of a coalition one stimulated to exist. In order to avoid any speculations, I must say I stimulated it after the first option – a coalition with the Liberals – proved impossible, since the Liberals, who won 18% of the votes, insisted that they name the Prime Minister;
• In case the economic policy of the Government proves a failure, there is no credibility left. How could one run for president?
• I’m not saying Romania isn’t affected by the international crisis. It is, but to a lower degree than others
• As soon as problems with the Nabucco pipeline are solved, we will insist that the South Stream pipeline crosses Romania as well;
• I take the suggestion made by Russia – to have the South Stream crossing Romania – very seriously, but this doesn’t mean that Romania will give up its European priorities;
• As we have seen this winter, the reality is that there is no safe transit of natural gas from Russia towards Europe. The problems between Russia and Ukraine are not our problems, until it affects us directly.