Wikileaks - MDX

235486 11/19/2009 4:42 09BUCHAREST778 Embassy Bucharest UNCLASSIFIED 09BUCHAREST758 VZCZCXRO2223 RR RUEHIK DE RUEHBM #0778 3230442 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 190442Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0094 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000778

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CE ASCHEIBE

E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV, RO SUBJECT: ROMANIA ELECTION UPDATE: BASESCU-ANTONESCU DEBATE FEATURES SOME FIREWORKS BUT NO CLEAR WINNER

REF: BUCHAREST 758 AND PREVIOUS

1. (SBU) SUMMARY. President Traian Basescu and National Liberal Party (PNL) chair and candidate Crin Antonescu confronted each other in the first televised presidential debate November 14. The lively exchange touched upon many topics including education reform, taxes, the fiscal crisis and the politicization of public administration, but was marked by a nasty personal exchange that attracted much public attention and later put Basescu on the defensive. Both candidates showed a strong grasp of the issues and, while no clear winner emerged, Antonescu benefited from a solid performance and increased media exposure. The perceived loser was Social-Democratic Party (PSD) chair and presidential candidate Mircea Geoana, who chose not to participate despite having previously criticized Basescu for avoiding debates. END SUMMARY. THE MEAT 2. (SBU) The 75-minute debate was broadcast live from the Transylvanian city of Cluj and carried by most major television networks. Antonescu criticized Basescu for contributing to the politicization of local government bodies and for lacking coherent policies on rural development and education. Basescu rebutted by highlighting his efforts to de-politicize school administration by barring school masters from party membership and advocating an emphasis on small and medium enterprises as a road to rural development. He said that Antonescu's regular proposals for lower income taxes could not be considered prior to economic recovery. Basescu also repeated his consistent advocacy for the pending referendum that would recommend abolishment of the Senate and establishment of a smaller unicameral parliament, which would reduce the number of politicians involved in governing the country. Antonescu retorted that the problem with Romania's political class was one of quality, not quantity. 3. (SBU) As the event concluded, Basescu offered a long list of his accomplishments over the past five years in office: the official condemnation of communism, the transfer of two million secret police files to archival investigators, Romanian entry into the EU, basing American soldiers on Romanian soil, and hosting the 2008 NATO summit. He also claimed to be one of the few consistent advocates of the Nabucco pipeline, at a time when others were opening doors for the Russian-backed rival project South Stream (perhaps a reference to PSD candidate Geoana's recent visits to Moscow). Basescu pledged at the end that he would continue the process of reforming Romania's top-heavy government bureaucracy. AND THE FAT 4. (SBU) In response to a mundane question about favorite movies, Antonescu mentioned "Scent of a Woman." Basescu suggested sarcastically that his opponent had a problem with women in government, apparently referring to Antonescu's previous criticism of Tourism Minister Elena Udrea and former minister of Youth and Sport Monica Iacob-Ridzi - both reputed to have been Basescu's lovers. Antonescu retorted that he himself had no problem with women in power, but Basescu had promoted unqualified women who had built their careers on insolence. Basescu took offense and demanded an apology, then added that he had never left his wife alone in difficult circumstances - an apparent reference to Antonescu's late wife who committed suicide after a long battle with terminal cancer. NO CLEAR WINNER 5. (SBU) COMMENT. The lively confrontation provided the public with a good picture of two experienced and astute candidates. To no one's surprise, Basescu tried to capitalize on his incumbency while Antonescu worked to portray himself as a political outsider. Pundits have largely scored the debate a draw. In the aftermath, though, Basescu received heavy criticism for his tasteless allusion to Antonescu's personal tragedy, while Antonescu appeared as a viable contender for a second round of voting. The only clear loser was PSD candidate Mircea Geoana, widely scorned for his arguably hypocritical decision not to participate. END COMMENT. GITENSTEIN