Reactii in presa: Cristian Tudor Popescu, presedintele Clubului Roman de Presa: Traian Basescu a comis mai multe delicte penale, de la agresiunea unei femei, in vreme ce aceasta incerca sa-si castige painea onest, la talharie, sechestrarea telefonului, pana la cel de discriminare. Basescu a comis un delict care pe vremuri se numea "ura de rasa" si care acum se cheama discriminare rasiala, prin exprimarea "tiganca imputita".
Christopher Condon, Financial Times: In an incident that underlined critics' claims that Mr Basescu's explosive temperament makes him a divisive figure, the populist politician seized a mobile telephone being used by a reporter to record an interview with him as he was shopping with his wife. Mr Basescu then left apparently unaware that the phone was still recording his conversation with his wife. After the phone was returned to the reporter's television station, the recording revealed that Mr Basescu had called the journalist a "stinking Gypsy". Robert Turcescu, director editorial "Cotidianul": Imaginati-va ca actorul ar fi fost George Bush si vorbea despre un jurnalist ca "negru imputit", cred ca lucrurile ar fi stat altfel. Catalin Tolontan, redactor-sef "Gazeta sporturilor": In mod normal, ar fi trebuit sa mearga in redactia Antenei 1 si sa-si ceara scuze personal. Nu i-a luat telefonul prin purtatorul de cuvant! Marius Vulpe, "Adevarul": Evolutie prezidentiala: de la "mai, animalule" la "gaozarul asta". Evolutia vocabularului basescian a fost marcata de recentele consideratii de natura rasiala si sexuala la adresa jurnalistei postului Antena 1. International Herald Tribune: Basescu was approached by the journalist, Andreea Pana, in a Bucharest supermarket on Saturday, when Romanians were voting on whether to impeach him for alleged constitutional abuses. Basescu overwhelmingly won the vote. Pana tried to ask him about the ballot and filmed him with a cell phone. Irritated, Basescu snatched the phone from her, but it continued to record a conversation between Basescu and his wife, Maria, in which the president called Pana a "stinky Gypsy." Vlad Petreanu, redactor-sef Antena 1: E un gest incalificabil. Cred ca presedintele nu intelege care este fisa postului. Nu intelege ca e un model pentru oricine din aceasta tara. Bogdan Teodorescu, analist si specialist in imagine si marketing politic: Chiar daca la Bucuresti declaratiile lui Basescu ar putea sa nu aiba un efect prea mare, introducerea conotatiei etnice risca un scandal european. Aprecierile sale nu sunt potrivite pentru un sef de stat intr-o Europa grijulie cu minoritatile. The Associated Press: On Monday, about 20 Gypsy and press freedom activists protested at the president's office, some wearing T-shirts reading "Stinky Gypsy." They left a bar of soap and a CD with Gypsy music. "Not only does the president have a duty not to discriminate ... but he is obliged by the constitution to have a proactive role in fighting all forms of discrimination," the protesters said in a letter. Grigore Cartianu, redactor-sef adjunct "Evenimentul Zilei": E rau, e imoral, e revoltator faptul ca Traian Basescu si-a permis sa numeasca un cetatean al Romaniei "tiganca imputita"! Derapajele de limbaj, gen "un gaozar" sau "mai, pasarica", au ajuns prea departe. E bine ca Traian Basescu a rugat-o ieri pe reporterita Antenei 1, in mod public, "sa accepte scuzele sale sincere". Scuzele ar trebui adresate insa intregii natiuni, pentru ca orice roman, tigan, maghiar, neamt, tatar sau lipovean are motive sa se simta jignit cand presedintele tarii sale foloseste expresii degradante pentru rasa umana. Ion Cristoiu: Norocul ziaristei ca se afla intr-un loc public. Daca ar fi fost intr-alta parte, Traian Basescu i-ar fi dat un cap in gura! Ca asa ar fi facut o dovedeste dialogul avut in masina cu nevasta-sa, devenit deja celebru prin expresia, demna de un marinar beat intr-un cartier rau famat al lumii portuare: tiganca imputita. Despre oameni precum Traian Basescu se spune ca n-au cei sapte ani de acasa. Dupa cele intamplate sambata, se pare ca nu-i are nici pe cei de la domiciliul conjugal! Daca stiam, cu siguranta nu mai votam NU... Si in orice caz, la urmatoarele alegeri, Basescu nu mai pupa votul meu. ---------------------------- Vali "Noble blood is an accident of fortune; noble actions are the chief mark of greatness." (Carlo Goldoni) "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." (Jimi Hendrix)
