The President explained: "I did my best. There is nothing more a President could have done in his relation with the PM. I told the PM both the choice and the solution were inappropriate. " He mentioned that a week before this he had met in Helsinski with leaders of the EPP, Durao Barroso and Hans Poettering among them. The President said: "They all warned me about the candidate's profile. It was most important that he should be well known in Brussels and have good knowledge of EU institutions." The President commented as well: "Varujan Vosganian is trying to explain his failure unfairly. He blames it on the information published by Jurnalul National daily, coming from Turcu, an ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania) officer. But the real problem was that Brussels officials knew nothing about him." Basescu said it once again that there was no Securitate record of Varujan Vosganian, which he knew from the intelligence service chiefs. Coffee with the PM The President said last Sunday's morning he had invited the PM to have coffee at his place. He said they had talked about the choice for an EU commissioner and agreed Leonard Orban was the best solution. Basescu claimed: "We said a friendly good bye. But afterwards it was announced that we have had consulting and that I had been informed about it." He commented more: "It was very important to the PM to show the tough side, probably to gentlemen like Orban Hasotti, Olteanu, to show he hadn't discussed it with the President, that he had just made a phone call to say "Hey, mister, I have recommended Leonard Orban to become a Commissioner." The President added: "Had he let me know he had to release such messages showing power, Adriana Saftoiu wouldn't have written the communique."(...) Macovei is difficult and whimsical, but well meaning As for the Romanian Justice minister, the President confessed: "I am at extraordinary terms with Monica Macovei. Sometimes she is whimsical and harsh, she doesn't put up with other people's ideas. It's rather difficult for me. But she is also very well meaning as far as her mandate is concerned and this is why I support her all the way." He gave some explanations: "Monica Macovei is not politically subordinate to the Democrat Party. The relation is univocal. The Democrat Party's assignment is to support her. She is not member of the party. But she has got support from the Democrats. Any allegations on it have got nothing to do with the truth." (...) If I could, I would start early elections tomorrow As far as early elections are concerned, the President was straight: "If I could, I would start them tomorrow." He explained his view: "This powerlessness to promote laws in due time, to reach consensus on law projects, to provide Romania with some legislative references fast shows the present majority is unsafe for the government." As for the Conservative Party, which he uses to call "the immoral solution", Basescu claimed he still was for collaborating with Dan Voiculescu's party within the Coalition.

A. HRIBAN