In recent weeks, former President Traian Băsescu has given several interviews on various TV stations, being asked about the current political situation, the prosecutors’ report regarding the issues that arose after the annulment of the 2024 elections, and about Călin Georgescu’s candidacy for the presidency.
Traian Băsescu was the President of Romania between 2004 and 2014, serving two terms. Even after his terms ended, he continued to be actively involved in political and public life.
Representative Quotes:
- Traian Băsescu knows a lot about Romanian politics. He was an involved president, and in the context created by his interventions, a big question mark arose: Why did the former President of Romania repeatedly state that the former presidential candidate, Călin Georgescu, is the result of a Romanian business?
- The President is well-informed, receiving a daily report on the most important issues, points on the public agenda, the biggest threats to Romania's security, the major debates taking place, and so on. And even the biggest vulnerabilities, both internally and externally.
- The major vulnerability that led to the shocking events of 2024 - a candidate reaching the presidential final, winning even the first round of elections, being trained for this role for years - was an operation launched and funded by Russia on Romania's old information architecture that fundamentally remained unchanged after 1990.
Support for Right-Wing Candidates
Over the years, Traian Băsescu has remained in the public eye, serving as a Member of the European Parliament and endorsing candidates in the recent presidential campaigns. In 2024, he supported Elena Lasconi and later Nicușor Dan, consistently adopting a liberal stance and endorsing candidates from the center-right area. He is perceived as a politician with vast experience and deep knowledge of Romania's political mechanisms.
A Contradiction
Traian Băsescu has stated on multiple occasions that the former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu is the result of a Romanian business. This statement contradicts Romanian prosecutors' investigations, which indicate that Călin Georgescu benefited from Russia's support, and his rise in the 2024 electoral campaign was due to a major Kremlin interference in Romania's electoral process.
Impact on Intelligence Services
The Romanian Presidency is the country's most important political institution, capable of profoundly shaping the relationships between state powers. The President is considered the most influential politician, enjoying popular support in the millions of votes. Through this position, the head of state wields significant power over the country's political direction, with a major impact on state institutions, including intelligence services.
The Most Informed Romanian
The President of Romania has a direct and constant connection with intelligence agencies through the Supreme Council of National Defense.
He receives daily reports on the most important internal and external issues, the main threats to national security, as well as political and strategic vulnerabilities. The President coordinates Romania's security system and plays an important role in coordinating intelligence services.
Long Collaboration with the KGB
After 1990, Romania did not undergo a profound reform of its intelligence services. Following the collapse of the communist regime, Ion Iliescu retained numerous former Securitate representatives and individuals with direct ties to the Soviet Union in positions of power. Among them were Virgil Măgureanu, the first director of the SRI, and Mihai Caraman, director of the Foreign Intelligence Service, both previously involved in collaboration networks with the KGB.
Reactivation
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Romania's intelligence infrastructure remained known to the Kremlin, and many individuals within the intelligence system continued to be monitored and documented. With Vladimir Putin, a former KGB agent, returning to lead Russia, the old networks were reactivated, influencing Romanian politics once again.
In 2024, a politically inexperienced candidate, Călin Georgescu, managed to reach the presidential final and win the first round of elections, a phenomenon associated with the activation of these old structures and channels of influence.