Before yesterday's extraordinary session of the PC (Conservative Party) National Council, the PC leaders got together and ordered that all the Conservatives should dump the government and become part of the opposition. All the Conservatives in the Romanian government resigned yesterday and all the members of the PC Permanent Committee voted for the resolution on the Conservatives' sudden abandonment yesterday. There has followed political crisis, triggering the change of relations between the officials in power and the opposition and the government is now minority. It may end up with early elections. Here is how the PC president began his speech: "We have decided something neither politicians nor public opinion and press have thought likely. Who would have thought a party could give up the honey jar one month before Romania's accession to the EU?" He was proud to explain at the rostrum: "We are therefore leaving Traian Basescu without the 'immoral solution' so that he can do his best." His speech was actually more offense against President Basescu, described as "a really hypocritical man and a liar", and against the Democrats, "a party augmented by the head of state, but a party who would fall together with the head of state." Voiculescu blamed it on Basescu and Stolojan The PC leader claimed the Romanian President authored the dismemberment of the PNL (National Liberal Party) and also the making of a new Liberal party. Here is what he confidently claimed yesterday: "Together with Theodor Stolojan, he is the author of the political crisis. We are categorically denying that the PC has caused the political crisis. We are warning that the Romanian people and Romania are jeopardized because of a President who thinks he is a European, regional and world leader, a President who lied to the Romanians that they would lead a better life. We want to have power, not to be in the government. And I can tell you we will have power."(...) Conditions for voting the budget On the other hand the Conservatives announced they would vote for the budget for 2007 if the Liberals and the Democrats supported their legislative initiatives. The Conservatives even want to sign agreement with both the Democrats and the Liberals next week so that to express support for their projects on the cut on the VAT (value added tax) for the basic food products from 19% to 9% and on the tax free for the reinvested profit. (...) The Coalition has thus lost 19 deputies and 11 senators. In Tariceanu's Cabinet there are now 2 vacant minister positions, just as the government will be needing 6 state secretaries and there are also the governmental agencies, which need 10 state secretaries. Eugen Chirovici resigned as member of the PC yesterday. President Basescu talked to Tariceanu for an hour in Victoria Palace yesterday evening.

Valentina DELEANU