Basescu accused Antonescu of being manipulated by businessman Dinu Patriciu, while Antonescu replied Basescu was a member of the Communist Party alongside former President Ion Iliescu, social democrat Viorel Hrebenciuc and businessmen Dan Voiculescu, and went on saying he is responsible for certain underground political alliances.
Iliescu, Hrebenciuc and Voiculescu are the people Basescu claimed organized a meeting and decided, together, to make Parliament majority nominated Prime Minister Klaus Johannis their „front man”.
Basescu designated Bucharest district 3 mayor Liviu Negoita for prime minister, after the Cabinet proposed by economist Lucian Croitoru met with a no-confidence vote in Parliament, and disregarded the proposition made by opposition parties to designate Johannis for prime minister.
Basescu also accused Antonescu of not attending Parliament meetings, while Antonescu replied the president was absent from the leadership of the state.