Attendance of June 28 European Council meeting stirs quarrel between Romanian PM and President

A recent Romanian Parliament vote allowing Prime Minister Victor Ponta to represent Romania at the European Council meeting on June 28 sparked a fight between the Prime Minister and the President Traian Basescu, rather than stopping the conflict between the two (both in picture) on which one of them should represent Romania in front of Europe. The President announced he would be back in the public arena, after having a quiet time during the local elections. The Parliament decision, made on Tuesday (June 12 ) was followed by an exchange of inflamatory statements between the PM and the President. Traian Basescu said the PM tried to ''push the envelope'' by taking the matter to the Parliament, rather than via a direct discussion with the president, which, in his opinion, was a sign of weakness. “Prime Ministers have to be men about it,” the President also added. Attending the European Union meeting would be more important for Ponta, said the President, but ''then again, they don't take 'family' pictures there, so where else is there for the shot with Europe's leaders other than at the European Council,'' said the President. He asked the PM to at least respect the Presidential institution, if not the President himself, to allow a functioning collaboration between them. In return, the PM said the President's confrontational nature got the better of him when making the statements, but was hoping for wisdom, rationality and Romanians' interest to prevail over the president's anger. The governing alliance Social Liberal Union (USL) argued that the Romanian President should represent the country for matters of military policy and security, as well as for joint EU external policies, but the PM should represent the state on economic, social, budget and EU funding matters. The June 28 meeting agenda's includes mostly topics within these suggested areas of responsibility, the Union also argued. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: presidency.ro)