The leader of the European Liberal-Democrat Group (ALDE) in the European Parliament, Graham Watson considers that Traian Basescu used Theodor Stolojan to break the National Liberal Party, according to a Deutsche Welle release, taken by Rador. In an interview released yesterday, Watson states he doesn't expect to receive an application for affiliation to ALDE from PLD (Liberal-Democrat Party) simply because the newly created party would belong to President Basescu, a leader that "can be characterized in several ways, but in no case as a Liberal". "What President Basescu managed to do was to use Mr. Stolojan to break the National Liberal Party. In many ways, PNL is looked at as an adversary of the Democratic Party. Of course I regret what happened, but I know that PNL continues to be on the right track and it will finally succeed", Watson stated for the quoted Radio station. Chairman of the European Liberals said that, if the future Liberal Democrat Party (PLD) officially applied for affiliation to ALDE, his group would submit it to the vote, but it was "quite unlikely to receive an application from the newly created party, which would in fact belong to President Basescu". The "President", says the head of the Liberal Democrat Group in the European Parliament, "may be characterized in several ways, but in no case as a Liberal". A basic difference Graham Watson does not believe Tariceanu would be Dinu Patriciu's prisoner, or that this scenario is credible for the Romanians. It's rather about a way of attack President Basescu found against PM Tariceanu, says ALDE leader. In Watson's opinion, there is a basic difference between the two leaders, Basescu and Tariceanu: "The basic difference is that Presidentele Basescu worked within and with the former communist regime, while Mr. Tariceanu didn't. That is the reason he is the Prime Minister of Romania and he will stay as such, because Romanians know they have to break with the past, and Mr. Tariceanu represents this new breaking off". "Voiculescu plays an interesting part" When referring to the Romanian Conservatives, Watson appreciated that "Mr. Voiculescu plays an interesting part in the Romanian politics, and that the mandate he received from the people, by vote, has to be respected". "It depends on the Romanians to decide the future of Mr. Voiculescu's party. I can tell you there are two representatives of the Conservative Party in the group I am leading, and they do an excellent work in promoting Romania in the European Union", ALDE chairman added. The Liberal leader's conclusion regarding the situation in Romania is that this government needs to keep on going as long as it can keep a majority in the Parliament. The PM is the only one who can decide or not upon the organization of anticipated elections, says the European leader. We mention that, the moment Stolojan was excluded from PNL, Watson rendered justice to Tariceanu, admitting it was difficult to have at your side predecessors who did nothing but constantly criticize your decisions and the party. "I am awfully sorry that Teddy Stolojan excluded himself from the party. Because, in fact, that's what really happened. The situation in which an ex party leader criticizes absolutely everything the current leader does is unacceptable. That's intolerable. And Calin Popescu-Tariceanu did the right thing", said the ALDE leader.

Ovidiu BANCHES