President Traian Basescu is responsible for manipulating the media now, when alleged top terrorist Omar Hayssam vanished into thin air, as it was back in April 2005. Then Basescu said the kidnapping of the three journalists, allegedly masterminded by Hayssam, was shrouded in layer upon layer of manipulation targeted at the media.
When asked to name names, Basescu said then the authorities knew who the people responsible were, that they were people from both Romania and Iraq, and that their names would become public after the journalists were freed.
So, given Basescuâs promise and the serious situation in Iraq, the media kept its part of the deal and for the time of the journalistsâ captivity no one hold Basescu accountable for his words.
Fast forward to 6 June 2005, when the journalists were safely back to Romania and Basescu held the press conference expected to provide the details of the kidnapping and rescue operation.
However, to everyoneâs dismay, he failed to explain who intoxicated the media, as he had promised. Upon pressures from journalists, Basescu shocked with the statement that the media intoxicated itself, and turned the table asking the journalists to name names.
No member of the press seemed to react properly. I noticed the incredible scam Basescu was playing on the media, but I was shunned by my colleagues for having stated previously that the whole affair with kidnapping the journalists was staged by the Presidency.
If the media would have considered at least the idea, then it might have concluded, as I did, that Basescu was in no position to make public the names of those organizing the manipulation, because his opened the list.
As Basescu said in April 2005, the media was intoxicated to divert the public opinion from the real path to the truth.
Indeed that path led to an operation organized by
