Romanian Businessman Dinu Patriciu Countersues Incumbent President Traian Basescu

On Wednesday, Basescu sued Patriciu and Best Media SRL, the company which publishes daily newspaper Gardianul, demanding 1 leu (EUR1=RON4.2171) in damages, with hearings scheduled to begin on April 21, 2010.

Asked what damages he will claim from Basescu, Patriciu said this aspect "was established by the lawyers".

Patriciu told MEDIAFAX Saturday he will sue Basescu for slander, as the incumbent president called him "liar" and "person who falsifies tapes".

Basescu said Wednesday that, according to the analysis performed by the National Institute of Forensics, the recording made four years ago, where he allegedly strikes a child, is neither authentic nor an accurate copy of an authentic recording.

Basescu said he received the conclusions of the INEC institute following a request he filed on November 30, 2009.

He added the CD he sent to INEC contained the footage posted online by Romanian daily Gardianul.

According to the head of state, the conclusions reached by the INEC, according to which the footage is altered, will be used in the lawsuit filed against Patriciu.

The INEC announced Wednesday that it has sent the Presidential Administration the results of its analysis on the video of Basescu at a political rally in 2004.

On Monday, Basescu asked the INEC for a professional opinion on whether the video of him allegedly striking a child at a political rally in 2004 had been fabricated.

The Institute said the result may only be made public by the authority which requested it.

Romanian daily Gardianul recently posted online a video, filmed in 2004 during the electoral campaign for the presidential elections, showing Basescu at a rally. Later in the clip, Basescu seems to strike a child across the face with the back of his fist, for undistinguishable reasons.

Basescu denied the allegations, saying the clip was altered and stressing he has never, in his entire life, struck a child.

Sever Voinescu, spokesperson for the president, said last week that the video is sheer fabrication aiming only to "strike at Basescu," who is running for reelection. In a press conference, Voinescu introduced a video editing, special effects and animation specialist, who argued that the footage had been faked.

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