Financiarul

In a speech before Parliament on Tuesday, President Traian Basescu hailed the ‘courage of the incumbent Government and the ruling coalition to assume its political responsibility for an important step in the reforming of the State.’

‘There is no more time for hesitation and tergiversation. Today the complicity between political cronies and politicians can stop,’ said Basescu.
The President said his speech to Parliament is meant as an ‘honest stock-taking’ on his term in office.

‘Being the president of your country is the greatest privilege. I have had this privilege to serve my nation since 2004 and help it progress,’ said Basescu.
The President also mentioned some of the objectives he had early in his tenure and admitted to having made some mistakes in the process  ‘I may have made some mistakes.

I am not trying to conceal that, but I have always acted as I thought it is the best for the people,’ he added.
The President said that the Government assuming political responsibility for laws on education, public sector pay and governmental agencies is ‘a maturity test for the entire political class.’

‘The Government assumed responsibility for three legislative packages that can bring significant change in the functioning of the State. A large majority of Romanians want public employees paid according to personal merits who will competently serve the interest of the citizens.

Most of them want a supple and efficient state apparatus instead of a dozens of money-eating agencies. This is a radical change Romania needs and which Romanians have been waiting for for many years,’ said Basescu.

The President also argued that the ongoing economic crisis could have been avoided had the reform process not been blocked or postponed after Romania’s accession to the European Union on January 1, 2007.

This was for the third time that the President has addressed Parliament this year under his constitutional prerogatives. In a March 9 speech he tackled primarily economic issues and the prospect for Romania raising an external loan, and in an April 14 speech he referred to the situation in the Republic of Moldova.

Today’s speech came after earlier in the day the Government assumed responsibility before Parliament for three legislative packages that comprised a draft law on education; a draft law on the uniform pay in the public sector and a draft law on the restructuring of agencies operating under Government’s authority, the rationing of public spending, supporting the business milieu and observing the agreements with the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund.