In the interview granted, Basescu said the top priority for 2009 will be the maintaining of jobs. "It is the most important thing that we can or must do. Of course, success will not be complete. In a crisis situation, one must take the best measures, so that the impact of the crisis be diminished," the President said.
He added the crisis "is a matter of one year, maybe two, according to specialist evaluations" and asked not to be criticized for "the boldness of issuing a crisis estimate," as he does nothing by express what he understood from the talks he held with specialists.
The President added Romania needs a health system that meets the need of society and an upgraded infrastructure, "whether this means highways, railroads, airports or ports."
Basescu said there is European financing for these areas, and the projects need to be started fast.
"It is up to us, the leaders, the politicians, to use this money as soon as possible. Romania will look different after the first budget cycle, in 2013, the first budget cycle of the EU. There will be several miles of highways, there will be several environment works, the regulation of rivers, agriculture will be different, so Romania will be country that passes the crisis with greater ease compared to the developed states. The crisis will be lighter because its epicenter does not lie here. We will only reap the effects and we will have to battle these effects. I would say I am an optimist regarding Romania as a whole, even if we have some tough times ahead of us in 2009, and I believe Romanians have all reasons to be optimistic, even if they have a great deal of reasons to be displeased," Basescu said.
He added "it is very clear that, sometimes, the hopes and exigencies of Romanians outweigh our possibilities for quick upgrade."
"And maybe the votes cast on November 30 are a reality through which we can decipher ourselves. If the Parliament is joined by people we know bad things about, we have to ask ourselves: why did Romanians, who are exigent with politics in everyday life, give a new mandate to these people?," the head of state added in the conclusion of his speech.