President Traian Basescu said on Sunday that the adoption of a Lustration law that would prevent former communist elite from holding office in today’s Romania was absolutely necessary.

He made the statement at the Bookfest book fair in Bucharest where historian Vladimir Tismaneanu, the coordinator of a presidential programme that resulting in a report condemning communism in the country, launched a book on the issue titled “Refusal to forget”.

The events over the past two years have shown us that it’s never too late” for such a law, Basescu said speaking of an ongoing propaganda to manipulate the historic truth about communism.

He admitted that when he came to office in late 2004 he was skeptical about the efficiency of such a law. But after a May 2007 failed referendum to remove him from office he said a lustration law would be included among his top priorities from now on.