Băsescu says he launched Siegfried Mureșan’s EU career and refutes spy claims

Traian Băsescu appeared on România TV and asserted that he was the first party leader to put Siegfried Mureșan on a list for the European Parliament, describing himself as having “invented” the politician. He recounted meeting Mureșan at a European People’s Party (PPE) delegation that also featured Chancellor Angela Merkel and Bundestag’s Gunther Krichbaum, and said he added Mureșan to the PMP slate to secure a Romanian who could speak a foreign language in Brussels.

Băsescu noted Mureșan’s rapid ascent to PPE spokesperson, chief EU budget negotiator and vice-president of the European Parliament. He rejected claims that the MEP was a German BND spy as completely absurd and criticized the rumors as public nonsense. Additionally, Băsescu denied any financial link between Mureșan and businessman Gheorghe Ștefan, stating campaign money, not personal funds, were involved and that he never requested money from anyone. He emphasized that he was president of Romania at the time, not party leader.