Antonescu names Washington Post and Le Monde “contaminated publications”: Was this a coup?

Interim president Crin Antonescu said Romania’s image was greatly affected lately, underlining that there has been a “contamination” among international publications such as Le Monde or Washington Post.

Antonescu was asked what image problems Romania suffered lately, in the context of President Traian Basescu’s impeachment.

“It has suffered huge image losses. (…) Those people who generated, fueled and supported this ungrounded campaign are morally criminals, from my point of view, because this country has earned its status of civilized, European, credible country with a lot of sacrifice and hardship,” Antonescu said.

He added that there has been a “contamination” between international publications that did not take into account the Romanian realities.

“We are suffering a lot and will continue to suffer because when this goes into a media circuit, there is this contamination, nobody will stop to think where it started. Was there a coup in Romania, was rule of law violated in Romania? Were there tanks and troops in the street? No. But what did actually happen in Romania? Nothing of the kind, actually,” the interim president said on the public radio channel.

Antonescu numeste Washington Post si Le Monde "publicatii contaminate": "A fost o lovitura de stat?"

Presedintele interimar, Crin Antonescu, a declarat ca Romania a suferit "prejudicii de imagine uriase" in ultima perioada, sustinand ca a existat "o contaminare" intre publicatii internationale precum Le Monde sau Washington Post.

Antonescu a fost intrebat ce prejudicii de imagine estimeaza ca a suferit Romania in ultima perioada, pe fondul suspendarii din functie a presedintelui Traian Basescu.

"A suferit prejudicii uriase de imagine. (...) Acei oameni care din interiorul Romaniei au generat, au alimentat sau au intretinut aceasta campanie lipsita de orice fundament, dupa parerea mea din punct de vedere moral sunt criminali, pentru ca tara asta si-a castigat foarte greu, si cu sacrificii statutul ei de tara civilizata, de tara europeana, de tara credibila", a sustinut Antonescu.

El a precizat de asemenea ca a existat "o contaminare" intre publicatii internationale, care nu au tinut cont de realitatile din Romania.

"Suferim foarte mult si vom suferi si pe o anumita durata, pentru ca in momentul in care se intra intr-un circuit mediatic, se petrece aceasta contaminare, nimeni nu mai sta sa vada de fapt de unde a inceput. A fost o lovitura de stat in Romania, s-a incalcat statul de drept in Romania? Au fost tancuri si militari in strada? Nu. Dar de fapt ce s-a intamplat in Romania? De fapt, nimic in sensul acesta. (...) Se alimenteaza Le Monde cu ce scrie Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung si Washington Post cu amandoua. Am dat trei nume mari, din presa mondiala si impactul lor cand vorbim de imaginea Romaniei este urias", a mai declarat presedintele interimar la Radio Romania Actualitati.