A new round of bickering between Romania's Prime Minister and its President found its way up to local media headlines. After the president Traian Basescu (in picture, left) attended the European Council summit in Brussels last week, the PM Victor Ponta said Romania's European path will be much better without Basescu, a president who 'sold us all to hang on to his seat'.

The president had previously asked the Prime Minister Victor Ponta to have the same speech at home and abroad and be honest, referring to the PM's statements about the lessons learned and about working well with the president, while campaigning against the president. The PM was quick to reply via the media: “I liked the comment about saying one thing at home and another abroad. Well, at home he (e.n Basescu) is the all mighty, but when he came from Brussels he was on his knees, he did not dare to open his mouth and say something for Romania, for the future of our country.”

The EUR 5 billion extra funding  for Romania's agriculture, which the president presented as a success for the country after the recent Brussels negotiations, had already been included in the treaty in 2007, the PM explained.

He upped the ante and urged the president to use his charm and the respect Romania has in the EU to get better conditions for the country within the EU budget, while he - the PM-  will take care of the rest. Apart from higher funding, it is also very important for Romania to cancel some of the provisions which were included only to have it disadvantaged. He referred to the correlation between the low, current absorption rate and the future funding for Romania, a provision which was introduced at Germany's request, according to Ponta. “If we join our efforts, the president dealing with Germany, while I cover the other countries, we have high chances for the next meeting,” said the PM.

The European Council meeting late last week ended with a lack of agreement on the EU budget. A new meeting was scheduled for the beginning of next year. Meanwhile, countries will continue to negotiate budget cuts and provisions.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: European Council; in picture, left to right: Traian Basescu, President of Romania; Mr Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council)