Two days ago Romanian president Traian Basescu yelled at a reporter from Realitatea TV station who was daring enough to ask the head of state why he hadn't paid a visit to the village of Rast, much damaged by floods. Basescu yelled at the reporter: "Since you've been here for so many days, instead of pitying them you should have helped authorities persuade people by TV reports. You would have thus helped them." What annoyed Basescu was that the respective reporter was employed by Realitatea TV station, owned by businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vantu. Reporter Lucian Dindirica tried to reply the president, telling him he got there a week after the area had been flooded. But Basescu exploded: "I come as often as I can and when the case. I'm not telling you if I will go or not, because of your aggressiveness. You bring aggressiveness among people. And people need calm now. If you can do it, do it honestly, but not demagogically." And he got to the point: "There is Vantu you have behind. How come you boy are pitying people? Do you know how many thousand people lost their properties because of your owner? So please drop demagogy!" Basescu forgot that his status as president of Romania disallowed him to state someone guilty, unless Justice decided so. Moreover, the head of state harassed both the TV reporter and the station he worked for, although every time he needs to make an announcement to the country he gets on Realitatea TV live and despite his hatred of Vantu and the latter's alleged demagogy. (...)

Carmen EPURAN