Romania is the most distant country from Russia's close neighbours, online publication Slon.ru reads. All those who passed through there know how little it is written or talked about Russia, in contrast with, say, Poland or the Czech republic, where no news coming from Russia goes unnoticed. That's why, Romanian politicians' statement are forgiven in Moscow, as opposed to Poles'. To be more specific, they practically pass unnoticed, except for Foreign Affairs staff whose job implies observing what those to little known to the Russian public opinion are doing as well.
Anyone in Russia knows about the Polish president Lech Kaczynsky and his anti-Russian position. The Romanian president Traian Basescu, re-elected for a second mandate, and not without a fuss, is barely known. It's a shame, because he's an interesting character who, in contrast to his predecessors, talks a lot about Russia, mostly against it.
Moscow's attitude to Basescu - the quoted publication goes on - may be perfectly illustrated by the fact that immediately after the vote count, instead of the implied congratulations for his victory, the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry accused the elected president again of unfriendly statements during the electoral campaign. The Romanian press implied that the Russian diplomacy's discontent was triggered by Basescu's comments about his counter-candidate Senate speaker Mircea Geoana unofficial visit to Moscow.
The visit took place in April, but Basescu permanently reminded him of this episode: how dared he go to Russia without the chief of state's approval, and what did he do there? Officially, Geoana, the Romanian social-democratic leader, was a guest at the legal Russian colleges’ congress, but president Basescu rejected this explanation.
In contrast to his predecessors, Basescu not only talks, but also acts. Never i
