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5/22/07

FT.com - Chaos in Romania: Romanian president in fresh controversy - by Christopher Condon

For the complete report in the FT.com click on this link

Chaos in Romania: Romanian president in fresh controversy - - by Christopher Condon

Even as he overcame a weekend referendum seeking to remove him from office, Traian Basescu, Romania’s president, strode into fresh controversy on Saturday after a confrontation with a journalist that allegedly involved racist remarks. In an incident that underlined critics’ claims that Mr Basescu’s explosive temperament makes him a divisive figure, the populist politician seized a mobile telephone being used by a reporter to record an interview with him as he was shopping with his wife.

Mr Basescu then left apparently unaware that the phone was still recording his conversation with his wife. After the phone was returned to the reporter’s television station, the recording revealed that Mr Basescu had called the journalist a “stinking Gypsy”.

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