The President Had a Private Birthday Party

President Traian Basescu spent his 54th birthday surrounded by family only. His former colleagues in the Democrat Party sBasescu led till the elections he won almost 12 months agot did not visit him or send him presents, thinking he was visiting his home town of Constanta.

"I sent him an e-mail, to congratulate him," said a DP member.

PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu was thinking to send the President a post-card, on his birthday.

Some citizens queued yesterday in front of the Presidential Palace hoping they could congratulate the president in person and drink a cup of wine with him, but they were turned back.

"Many happy returns of the day! The birthday is an important day in anyone’s life," wrote Adrian Nastase, the executive president of the Social Democrat Party sopposition, and Speaker of the Houset in a note sent to Basescu

Nastase said congratulating his political rival on his birthday was normal and part of civilized communication. When asked what present would best suit Basescu, Nastase said "a fleet of small boats" shinting at Basescu’s previous career as a sea-captaint.

Nastase said he did not recall joining Basescu to celebrate his previous birthdays, when the two of them were close neighbors; but he said they often celebrated on various occasions.

He recalled that they shared hardships too, when both his and Basescu’s apartments were flooded by the faulty faucets in the apartment of their neighbor upstairs - none other than Senate Speaker Nicolae Vacaroiu, and prominent SDP member - who was out of town at the time.

During a visit this summer, in the flooded village of Piscu, Galati County, Basescu promised a local pregnant woman that he will be the godfather of her baby due to be born in the fall, if the baby will be a boy. Well, the woman gave birth yesterday to a girl!

"Many happy returns on your birthday; we will wait for you to visit us in Galati," whished the mother to Basescu.