Financiarul

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Mircea Geoana, told President Traian Basescu, his rival in the December 6 presidential runoff, at an electoral debate at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest, that what sets him apart from Basescu is that there has never been any criminal file drawn on his name and suspended for reasons of parliamentary immunity.

‘I am running for President without any criminal file on my name, as there was one on your name before running for office and which was suspended for immunity reasons,’ said Geoana.
He added that what also differentiates him from Basescu is that ‘I have never been dependent on anyone and that is why during my political career there has been no element to question my honour and integrity.’

The PSD candidate also said that together with Sibiu Mayor Klaus Johannis , recommended for prime minister also by chief of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Crin Antonescu, he ‘belongs to another generation of politicians who are Western educated and believe in other values.’
‘Personally, I will no longer tolerate this swamp where the corrupted ones are only those who were in power before and the clique that proliferate around those now in power are extended immunity from persecution,’ said Geoana.

Addressing the fight against corruption, Geoana said that ‘Romania is Europe’s most corrupted country as public perception is concerned, as indicated in a recent Transparency International report.’
‘Obviously, we have a problem with this phenomenon. We have to admit that we do. The question is why we fail every time, and my answer is because we always try to politicise justice and the corrupted ones who once were in power are the people’s enemies, while the corrupted ones around the ones in power are protected by the Romanian system,’ argued Geoana.

Basescu pointed out that the fight against corruption was one of the main themes of his campaign and that 20 corruption files on former ministers and parliamentarians are already in court, adding that he has never had any hesitation about any minister who should have been brought to court leaving their office.
‘Yet, dear Romanians, the victory in the fight against corruption, besides the creation of the National Integrity Agency (ANI), and I had an important part in the approval of the ANI statutes, is that during my tenure you heard of no fraudulent privatisation; and for that I am happy,’ said Basescu.