The decision of Social Democrats' top leaders Adrian Nastase and Dan Ioan Popescu to suspend themselves has turned the party into a true nest of vipers, where every outstanding leader is reevaluating his/her power, present position and chances to hit the jackpot by getting spectacular promotion. The battle for power is actually being fought in the open. Central leaders and the heads of local party organizations are to meet at the end of the week in Brasov. The Cluj group will take this opportunity to come up with motion of trust in leader Mircea Geoana, but on certain conditions. The chief of PSD (the Social-Democrat Party) will be given a year to achieve reform of the party or the Transylvanian group will support a different candidate to take over the party. In PSD there are voices claiming Ioan Rus will take over Nastase's position, say confidential sources. But some of Geoana's collaborators are denying such hypothesis. Ion Iliescu is getting ready to come out next week. He is going to have press conference and explain his stand. He doesn't seem to be separate from the shocking moves inside the party, claim confidential sources, saying Iliescu's reliable ally, Ioan Talpes, has lately had meetings with president Basescu. This way Ovidiu Tender, a very good friend of Talpes's, may think he has got even for all the "brakes" in his business coming from Dan Ioan Popescu in 2000-2004, claim the same sources. The self-suspended are doing research to see what party support they have still got and they are taking the difficult way of Justice. Yesterday Nastase went to DNA (the National Anti-Corruption Department) for the first time. Mircea Geoana can't enjoy his victory in calmness, for his mother-in-law's case has been reopened.

Mihai TOADER