Romanian President Pledges To Keep Govt Free Of Corruption

“One of my main objectives was, and I say this without any attempt to politicize it, to have a different label for the government led by Tariceanu (Romania’s prime minister – e.n.) when it comes to corruption than the label put on the government run by Adrian Nastase. And I can assure you that I will be successful,” Basescu said at a meeting of the High Council of Magistrates.

He said he always abided by the principle “zero tolerance for corruption” in all his actions as Romanian president.

“I never allowed myself to play judge and say I will not send this minister to trial,” Basescu told the magistrates.

He urged the magistrates not to ask him to ignore the corruption phenomenon, as silence is the best environment for stealing.

“It is my personal opinion that we still have a high level of corruption (…), that there is a little corruption in all social sectors,” Basescu said.