Monica Macovei, former Romanian Justice Minister and currently a member of the European Parliament (in picture), recently made a statement that took commentators by surprise. She said she expects a 'civil war' in Romania as it is clear to her that the Social Liberal Union (USL), the current ruling coalition is an 'organized crime group'.

Macovei, a member of the Democrat Liberal Party and close to the suspended president Traian Basescu, also said the current situation in Romania is unprecedented. "We are on the margins of the world, and I expect a civil war. People should understand this is really serious,” she recently said on TV. Macovei was one of the main members in the team supporting suspended president Traian Basescu in his campaign before the referendum. Basescu himself mentioned her name a couple of times during his 'victory' speech after the referendum.

When asked how she manages to convince EU officials to follow her position on Romania, Macovei claimed she is very influential and that her statements are repeated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and by European Council president José Manuel Barroso."Yes, I am very influential. What I say is found in the European Commission statements and in Merkel and Barroso's statements. I think Romanians must be proud they have someone who is so influential abroad, and you know what that means? That these people trust me, because I have never lied to them,” Macovei underlined, suggesting her strong ties to EU leaders.

Monica Macovei was Romania's Justice Minister between 2004 and 2007, after heading the Association for Protecting Human Rights – the Helsinki committee. In 2009, she became an MEP.

In 2006, when a motion of confidence was submitted in the Parliament against Macovei, she was supported by the then European Commissioner for Justice and Internal Affairs Franco Frattini.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Monica Macovei's website)