The death certificate of the strange Bucharest-London-Washington axis, launched in 2004 by Traian Basescu, has just been signed, an initiative amazing Brussels. The resolution adopted during extraordinary session by Romanian MPs is major defiance of the White House and its allies. It is a hot situation emerging after the independence of Kosovo was declared. A resolution passed by the UN is practially blown out. This is the first time after a long while that the main political forces in the capital city of Romania have joined each other for a pro-Serbia pact, a kind of Bucharest-Bucharest axis. The only party staying away is the UDMR (Democrat Union of Magyars in Romania), threatened with sanctions by several sides. One threat is that the UDMR will be driven away from the government, although the latter is anyway in minority. The Bucharest decision is both positive and negative. The positive side is that the political class has finally proved capable of solidarity on a matter of national interest. Theoretically, this can be the opening of a non-aggression pact to allow for normal administration of the state till elections. A short time with no convulsions and colateral losses would be oxygen to Romanians. What about the negative side? There are clues that this armistice about Kosovo will last a short while and it will be impossible to turn into a political pact to last till the end of the year. The European states are joining the US one by one, admitting the independence of Kosovo almost at the same time with the declaration launched there. The great powers in Europe, Britain, France, Germany and Italy, have anyway bowed in front of the greatest power. One by one, the other EU states too are consenting to the US approach. Our neighbor Bulgaria is changing is mind. Politics is rational most of the times and it admits no sentimentalism. It is cynnical, therefore also immoral. And sometimes decisions can be against international legislation and principles. The Kosovo issue makes mankind face this. Due to the political parties' decision, reached in the Parliament's extraordinary session, Romania has proved moral and in keeping with international norms. It is just that the refusal to admit the independence of Kosovo, first a project and then a state of things supported by the great powers, is a card that makes you lose the game. And it can isolate Romania dramatically. Did we admit we were powerful enough to be constant, national interest would demand political parties to reach an agreement to do away with political violence till elections. There would follow a short time of clamness. But things are as follows: heading a moral way, but a wrong way. Let's explain this seeming paradox. In about one week's time the pressure on Romanian authorities, coming from Washington as well as from the main EU capitals, will probably trigger an opposite decision by the Parliament. And Romania will surrender in order to avoid getting isolated. In just a few days the Romanian Parliament's famous declaration will be forgotten. And the opposite attitude will be taken: admit the new state of Kosovo. The situation is embarrassing for political leaders and parties. In other words, a President wishing to be a player, but failing to, and a PM supposed to be an interim PM, but who wasn't, together with a confused and often demonized political class will have to surrender and head the opposite way. This new axis, the Bucharest one, taken from the topper with general enthusiasm, has broken before making it to history. And it has remained just a scared bunny.

Sorin ROSCA STANESCU