President Basescu says only appointed ForMin Melescanu because of emergency

President Traian Basescu told newly appointed Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu he got the position only considering the current emergency concerning the voting abroad in the presidential election.

Basescu mentioned Melescanu's record as a Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) head as the reason for his reluctance.

'I want you to know, Mr. minister, that I would not have appointed you, either, considering the events of your past year at SIE; I am doing it because of the emergency, and I especially remember a declaration of yours that, if you were foreign minister, things would have not happened as they did with the vote in the emigration. Considering your public statement, I invite you to take the oath,' the president said at the swearing in ceremony at the Cotroceni Palace (the presidency offices).

Basescu also said before Melescanu took the oath that the former head of diplomacy Titus Corlatean should have resigned from office on November 2, the day of the first round of the presidential election.

'I want to note that Corlatean's resignation came too late; he should have assumed the failure on the night of [November] 2,' the president declared.AGERPRES