LATEST - In Brief

No one will find out tomorrow that the head of State returned to Cotroceni Palace victoriously because the "baggages" and the "faggots" (for pederast, in Ro. slang), as Basescu calls the journalists, will not relate, nor broadcast the event. "If the aggression against the journalist had been committed by an ordinary person, that somebody would have been long ago called to the Police Department or to the Parquet to make statements. However, in Basescu's case things were quite the opposite, prosecutors of the Parquet of the High Court showed cowardice and lack of reaction", the Romanian Press Club (Ro. CRP) found out. Andreea Pana did nothing else but exercising her job, within perfect normal limits, and Basescu violated the public's constitutional right to get informed. CRP announced it would inform the international press forums on the aggressions against journalists. The International Federation of Journalists has condemned the president's "disgusting behaviour". The "birdie" and "stinky gypsy" episode has been related by the European and US media, being also broadcast by NBC. As for the penal aspect of the presidential gesture, legal experts opine that Basescu may be investigated, as his immunity doesn't cover such a case. The General Parquet waits for the penal complaint and, on account of the infraction seized - theft of robbery -, it will send the case to the parquet of the law court or to the tribunal.

Official statement of the Romanian Press Club

The Council of Honour of the Romanian Press Club condemns President Traian Basescu's unacceptable and abusive conduct towards journalist Andreea Pana, while she was exercising her profession.

President's Basescu's gesture, of taking by force her mobile phone, from which a video recording was later on erased, ranges among a series of attacks of the politicians to the media. The public person who holds the most representative rank in the State now reaches his peak with a physical aggression and the depriving of a journalist of his/her personal objects. President Basescu has violated, by his action, the constitutional right of the public opinion to information.

By ascertaining the authorities' lack of reaction, the Romanian Press Club will submit a criminal complaint in this case. CRP will seize the international organisms as well.

All those who will try to prevent in such a way journalists from exercising their profession will benefit from the same response from the CRP.

The Romanian Press Club recommends media to set up, on Thursday, May 24, for the audio-visual and on Friday, May 25, for the daily publications, a media silence over President Basescu's statements, in token of protest against his violent action of blocking the public's information through media.

CRP will organize, on June 6, a large debate on the series of aggressions against the media, where the President of Romania and other authorities will be invited to take part in.

Council of Honour of the Romanian Press Club

Articol disponibil la adresa http://www.ziua.net/display.php?id=221111&data=2007-05-23