Valeriu Zgonea: EBA could lose her EP mandate because she joined PDL 

Luni, 8 iunie 2009, 15:09 English | Top News

Elena Basescu (EBA), incumbent president’s youngest daughter, risks loosing her EP mandate because she rushed to get rid of the independent candidate status. She became member of the Liberal Democratic Party last night, before the elections’ results were validated.

Social Democratic Party general secretary Valeriu Zgonea stated on Monday that Elena Basescu becoming a PDL member so soon might see her lose her mandate, if it was contested, Romanian news agency Mediafax informs.  

Zgonea said PDL should have waited until The European Parliament’s validating Commission validated her EP mandate before declaring her member. Zgonea added that her gesture of joining the party showed that her votes "were not earned honestly, but through electoral tourism".

Zgonea declared he did not intend to contest Elena Basescu’s EP mandate, even if this would benefit his party, PSD, which would be entitled to collect her mandates.

Exit-polls results indicated PSD to have won the biggest number of mandates, followed closely by PDL. EBA won enough votes to secure the EP mandate.