Romanian President’s Appeal Against Discrimination Ruling To Be Tried May 8

Romania’s Supreme Court on Friday set the trial date for May 8 in case of the appeal President Traian Basescu filed against a warning issued by the National Antidiscrimination Council, following offensive behavior toward a television reporter.

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On May 19, 2007, Basescu forcibly removed a cell phone from Andreea Pana, reporter with television station Antena 1, who was filming him while he was shopping in a hypermarket.

When the head of state got into his personal vehicle, the device recorded Basescu while he was calling the journalist a "stinking gypsy."

Later, the device was returned, and the TV station employees managed to recover the recording with Basescu’s statements, which was made public.

On May 23, the antidiscrimination council issued an official warning against Basescu, saying his remarks toward the reporter were discriminatory.

Basescu challenged the warning at the Bucharest Court of Appeals but the court rejected his claim.

Basescu argued the remarks were made during a private conversation with his wife and, therefore, the public warning was uncalled for.

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