The head of the National Anti-Discrimination Council (CNCD), Asztalos Csaba, announced that the institution decided on Wednesday to penalize president Traian Basescu with a formal warning for using the "stinky Gipsy" phrase. Asztalos confirmed that the expression qualifies as a discriminatory act.

The CNCD decision may be challenged in 15 days. A written motivation for the warning will be published during the following two weeks.

"We had to analyze the intention, the purpose with which the words were used, the existence of an intention and of public effects... there we several aspects we had to discuss", said Asztalos.

The CNCD decision includes recommendations regarding the language, considering that the phrase used by the president isn't "adequate for the public spate and the high dignitary position".

CNCD debated on the incident after a formal complaint submitted by Romani Criss, the organization protecting the rights of gypsies. The incident took place during the president's suspension day, on May 19, when Basescu was interviewed while shopping.

After "confiscating" the mobile phone used by the journalist, the device continued to record the conversation between the president and his wife, Basescu being "caught on tape" while asking his companion: "Can you believe how arrogant that stinky gipsy was?".