Yesterday Romanian president Traian Basescu attended the meeting of CSM (the Superior Council of Magistrates) and criticized the Executive's interference in Justice. He opined that such attitude was "unacceptable". The official actually repeated his critique expressed at the meeting on the Interior Ministry's activity, with health minister Eugen Nicolaescu as special target. The president said the same old story on "let's see how we can settle relations" wasn't needed, since Romania had both Constitution and laws for it. Basescu explained he came to the CSM meeting because at the meeting on the Interior Ministry's activity he had said certain words about the judiciary system and felt it was his duty to tell the same to CSM members so that the latter "would not learn about it from the press or other sources." Basescu outlined he would stick to the principles he had expressed at the very beginning of his mandate and take action against all interference of a power on the other. (...) He explained: "I promise you that neither as president nor as a member of CSM will I allow for the Executive's interference in Justice matters." "I know more than you suppose I know" The head of state mentioned he had frequently known when officers or magistrates were to become targets for campaigns. He explained: "I know sometimes it is hard for you, but you have to make it through campaigns against legitimate actions to protect the law. It is your duty to protect it. I can tell you that at least I know more than you suppose I know. I have often known about officers and magistrates about to become targets for campaigns. Through your superiors I even warned that respective officer was to mind his business, for I knew what it was about. What I am kindly asking you is to be aware of your single master: the law and the citizen. Apart from it, there is no excuse for our weaknesses." Basescu criticized Nicolaescu's "poor response" On the other hand, Basescu roughly criticized health minister Eugen Nicolaesu's refusal to obey court sentences. The head of state mentioned that since an Executive member had such attitude, common citizens couldn't be asked for respect for state institutions. (...) He added: "Since Executive members cast doubt and try means of communication... on what? On accused and charged people? Since we are trying to find means of communication, we can't talk about support for trust in Justice and for what we all would like to have: independent Justice." (M.V.R.)