Romanian President Traian Basescu renewed his attacks on PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu on Sunday saying in a TV talk-show that he lost his trust in the head of the government because their objectives are no longer common and team they used to form was breaking.

Basescu also mentioned a possible change of Tariceanu as head of the Romanian government before January 1, 2007, when Romania is due to join the EU.

He said in the "Pro Vest" talk-show on the Pro TV station that he would not see such a move as a threat to the political stability of Romania, but as a simple Constitutional mechanism.

His statements sparked fierce comments from the Liberal party, led by Tariceanu, who claimed the President’s intervention was unconstitutional. And Tariceanu himself said ironically that he would no longer find time to discuss with President Basescu because the head of state was spending too much time with businessman Gigi Becali and he himself would not dare stand before Becali’s personality.

Gigi Becali, a maverick businessman-politician who owns the Bucharest football club Steaua, has been boasting about his new friendship with Basescu, with whom he partied and was seen drinking earlier this month to celebrate the victory of Steaua in the UEFA Cup quarterfinals.

It’s the second time in two weeks that the President attacks the prime minister. He said before that he regretted his naming of Calin Popescu Tariceanu as PM after the 2004 elections because Tariceanu was more interested in his friendship with groups of interests "smelling of oil".