POLITICS - January 7th 2005 In the interview published yesterday by the "Adevarul" daily newspaper, President Traian Basescu said he was a "supporter" of the immediate anticipated elections "in order to get rid of an immoral solution named HPR (the Humanist Party in Romania - n.e.).

By MONICA IORDACHE

THE NEXT STEP. By the end of this month, Traian Basescu "will also choose" one of the Executive’s meetings for him to take part in. For the question regarding his future decisions in the anticipated elections matter, in case that the present Cabinet cannot obtain the Parliament’s approval for its important laws due to its unstable majority, Traian Basescu answered he is a supporter of the anticipated elections and that, in fact, the Government passes through hard times now. The reason found by the President for this is the one of "getting rid of an immoral solution named HPR". "Even if, due to my constitutional obligations, I negotiated with all the parties for the formation of a majority, and I did it by adding HPR to it, the Prime Minister deals very badly with a party that was the ally of SDP (the Social Democrat Party) in the electoral campaign and that, at the time being, is demanding for prefectures. It is very hard for Calin Popescu Tariceanu to explain to the electorate and to the two parties forming the Alliance the way in which one could name as prefect a member of a party that used to be a very hostile enemy during the electoral campaign. The same party supported the nominations of Nicolae Vacaroiu and Adrian Nastase as presidents of the two chambers. First of all, HPR must repair this error in order to become trustful".

President Traian Basescu is trying to suggest that HPR could demonstrate their loyalty by supporting the candidates the J.T. (Justice and Truth) Alliance proposed for the leadership of the two Chambers