The President of Romania Traian Basescu was out of hospital yesterday at noon, shortly after the doctors had announced it in press conference. When getting out the President said he had undergone a thyroid surgery, claiming he could have left the hospital Saturday night, but the doctors wouldn't allow. He was in the company of his wife and the doctors in the medical team. He said he was feeling well and described the surgery and the preparations for it as "excellent". He commented: "I didn't fear it. I know what a doctor feels when he is to perform a surgery close to a President's vocal chords. I trusted them from the very beginning. Decency has proved their professionalism. The team was made in June, but no one talked about it." Journalists asked when he would be back to Cotroceni Palace. The President answered "When I please" and added he would be spending a couple of days at home. (...) He gave some information on the surgery: "We had decided there would be a press release on Friday , after the working hours." He said he had decided this way because last Friday he was to have several important meetings and he wouldn't want to explain every time that he was all right and could attend. After talking to the journalists he thanked doctors once again. While shaking hands with doctor Mircea Ghemigian, he told him: "Here I am meeting a good Armenian at last!" He added: "A competent Armenian! Under treatment all his life Basescu's right thyroid lobe was extirpated. Ioan Sarbu, manager of the Military Hospital in Bucharest, mentioned yesterday that his health problems were now successfully settled. He described the President's state of health and the progress with the recovery as very good. Surgen Mircea Ghemigian added the President could start work at once, but he recommended a few days off. The surgeon mentioned the President would have to be under medical treatment with thyroidal substitute all his life, adding it would be a discontinuous treatment. (...) (B.C.G.)