Romanian president seeks support of emigrants in poll

Romania:President Traian Basescu has urged the millions of Romanians living abroad to back him in this weekend's impeachment referendum, and help prevent what he calls a cabal of millionaire crooks and ex-communists from seizing power.

Mr Basescu will face the ballot on Saturday after the Liberal Party joined forces with the former communist Social Democrats (PSD) and smaller groups in parliament, and voted to suspend the former sea captain and mayor of Bucharest for alleged abuse of power.

The president says the unlikely coalition ranged against him is motivated by a desire among its leading members to block his anti-corruption drive, which they fear would shed light on their shady dealings and reduce their power and wealth.

"The fight for a consolidated democracy is entering the finishing straight.

"If you can mobilise yourselves and say 'no' at the May 19th referendum, your power will start a new revolution, a revolution that nobody can steal from you again," said Mr Basescu, as he addressed the more than two million Romanians who have left home to find work abroad since the 1989 revolution that ousted communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

Romanian communities in France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Britain rallied last weekend in support of Mr Basescu (55), who came to power in late 2004 on a pledge to root out graft and lead the country into the European Union.

His alliance with the Liberals has splintered since Romania joined the EU in January, however, amid a bitter personal dispute with prime minister Calin Tariceanu that resulted in Mr Basescu being suspended and all his allies being sacked from government.

Brussels, dismayed by the departure of ministers whom it believed were winning the fight against corruption, warned Romania that it would lose crucial funding if it failed to put an end to cronyism and crooked practices.

"The biggest problem facing Romania is that it's run by the oligarchs," Mr Basescu told a 40,000-strong rally in the city of Craiova on Sunday.

"I will never betray you to the oligarchs . . . EU money must go to the people, not to the clients of politicians."

Mr Basescu's opponents call him a demagogue who wants to personally dominate the legislature and concentrate power in his own hands.

Polls suggest however that he is highly likely to win Saturday's vote.