Romanian PM moves his office to avoid “presidential spying”. Becomes subject of ridicule in the process

Newsroom 17/04/2014 | 16:42

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced on Tuesday that he would work out of the Defence Ministry over fears that his phone may be tapped, after a call allegedly made from his office was cited in a corruption case.

“The transfer will definitely happen next week, I have already gone (to the ministry), I have an office,” he told journalists.

The move would foil any such “attempts by Traian Basescu”, to frame him. The prime minister added that he expected “a multitude of such attempts” in the run-up to November’s presidential elections.

“Until I expect attempts to frame me and I want such attempts made by Basescu or the people around him to be revealed and dismissed very easily and very clearly. Until November, that’s where I am staying”, Ponta was quoted by realitatea.net.

Ponta’s decision, which sparked outrage in Romania, came after a regional chief from his party, Adrian Duicu, was arrested on corruption and abuse of power charges. Prosecutors say that Duicu had promised to intervene in favour of a policeman during a phone call made from Ponta’s office.

Ponta has denied receiving Duicu in his office and said he was unaware of the politician’s actions.

The move was quickly scorned by the opposition. Deputee Elena Udrea said the gesture was “hilarious” and proves that Victor Ponta is sending a very dangerous message.

“It seems like a hilarious move. In fact, the reason that Victor Ponta moved there is out of fear that he is being tapped legally, just like mister Duici. It is this fear that drove him to MApN and it is a very dangerous message. The prime-minister barricades himself. What is he going to do? Place tanks at the entrance? What can happen to Victor Ponta if he has nothing to hide?”, Elena Udrea commented.

Former liberal PM, Emil Boc, went even further and said that the gesture is “Guiness worthy”.

“I didn’t think about moving there even when there were 50,000 protesters in Victoriei Square, 50 metres away frommy office. The thought to run and hid inside a military unit never crossed my mind. I don’t know what Victor Ponta is so scared of. It remains a gesture worthy of the Guinness Book in the history of European Government since only in Africa can we see officials run around and hide in fortresses. Nobody can forbid the PM to change the location of their office but it is absolutely ilogical and out of place and not in accordance with European democratic practices”, Emil Boc said, quoted by Mediafax.

Public opinion seems to agree with the general feeling that Victor Ponta is displaying signs of paranoia. One video in the popular “Hitler finds out about” meme on the topic quickly went viral after Academia Catevencu uploaded it on Youtube.

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