AWLC to AnonymousRomania
Romania Spy Chief Probed Over Elections
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/24301/
Bucharest | 10 December 2009 |

A parliamentary committee has questioned the chief of one of Romania's secret services over allegations that his agency was involved in alleged fraud in Sunday's presidential elections. The opposition Social Democrats alledge that Marcel Opris provided a software to the Liberal Democrats, who support President Traian Basescu, that enabled them to access voting figures data. Opris has denied the allegations and on Thursday called them "a grave attack on the agency", which monitors all telecommunication networks for the president, government, parliament and top judges, according to media. Romania's opposition is contesting the outcome Sunday's presidential run-off elections, claiming fraud, and has filed a complaint to the Constitutional Court.

Basescu narrowly defeated the opposition leader Mircea Geoana in Sunday's presidential runoff. The vote gave Basescu 50.3 per cent against Geoana's 49.7 per cent. The poll outcome was a reversal of earlier exit polls Sunday night that showed Geoana in the lead, again by less than one percent. The Constitutional Court on Thursday started legal procedures. A Constitutional Court judge said that it will take "one to three days to reach a conclusion and communicate it". Geoana has said he will respect the court ruling but has refused to work with Basescu afterwards. Social Democrats claim there was a suspiciously high number of voided ballot papers, and accused Basescu of organising "massive electoral tourism" by transporting people between polling stations to vote several times in different locations.

The claims, together with Basescu's victory, will undoubtedly prolong Romania's political crisis and affect its relations with its creditors. Traian Basescu has been unable to oversee the appointment of a new government since October, when the government headed by current caretaker Prime Minister Emic Boc, collapsed. Opposition parties in parliament have refused to approve Basescu's two subsequent nominations for the role of prime minister. The political impasse prompted the International Monetary Fund to suspend the disbursement of further tranches of a EUR20 billion loan, which is dependent on the government pushing through unpopular budget cuts, and cutting the size of state administration.