Social-Democrat leader Victor Ponta lashed this week at Prime Minister Emil Boc, calling him ‘a monkey put to front, while others steal and destroy Romania. Soon, they would take the stand and say that Boc is the one that did everything.’ During a TV show the opposition party head said millions of people depend on Boc’s decisions, while the premier is making a fool of himself by using an axe, or is mowing in front of the cameras. ‘Everybody laughs at him, but you, the television people, broadcast him live,’ Ponta said. He also underlined that Emil Boc wants to be always at the front, he signs everything and has stupid ambitions.

Well, Victor Ponta points at the premier as being a monkey for wanting to catch attention, while others ‘do their job.’ On the other hand, one might say Emil Boc is imitating the president just as a monkey often does. He does not have initiatives, but takes over a theme promoted by president Traian Basescu and supports it. Has Traian Basescu sheared sheep? Emil Boc has mowed.

This week Premier Boc did it again. President Basescu took over a lady journalist’ telephone during his first mandate, as she had been asking questions while he was shopping. This week Premier Emil Boc took over a lady journalist’ microphone during a briefing, angry that the TV station she works for is misinforming (in his view) the public opinion.

During the electoral campaign for presidency late last year, candidate-president Basescu lashed at media moguls, making out of them some kind of public enemy. Now he seems to have forgotten of their negative influence. But Premier Boc is the one who recalled the matter. He criticized the news TV channels for misinforming the citizens.

The scandal started because journalists asked him if he is still requesting regular TV shows with the public station. His reply? ‘I want to communicate with Romanians about what the government is doing. I want to cut down the misinforming coming from many radio and TV stations.’

So it seems the journalists and the moguls are fashionable again. If not for the President, at least for the Prime Minister. It looks like Mr. Ponta was right in one way: Mr. Boc lacks ideas.


Maxy