2007年VOA标准英语-Romania's President Fights for Political Life i

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
19 May 2007

Romania's suspended president Traian Basescu is fighting for his political life as voters decide, in a referendum, whether he should be removed from office on charges of abuse of power. But as Stefan Bos reports from Budapest for VOA, there are indications that most voters want Mr. Basescu to be reinstated.

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Surrounded by media, Romanian President Traian Basescu casts his vote in his impeachment referendum in Bucharest Romania, 19 May 2007

As voting got underway, opinion polls showed that seven out of 10 Romanian voters are against the parliament's decision in April to suspend President Traian Basescu.
 
Romanian law allows legislators to suspend the president, who has limited powers and cannot dissolve parliament or fire the prime minister.
 
Speaking through an interpreter, Mr. Basescu told EuroNews television that parliamentarians acted only to stop him from moving ahead with anti-corruption² measures and other reforms, including publishing files of the former secret police, the Securitate.  Mr. Basescu claims the reforms are vital under the terms of Romania's recent membership in the European Union.

"Some things didn't suit quite a few politicians: the condemnation³ of crimes committed under Communism; 1.5 million dossiers belonging to the old Securitate being transferred to the National Council studying the archives; and then the consolidation⁴ of the independence of the judiciary, which - and this is unprecedented⁵ - which has begun to investigate the activities of certain very important political figures," he said.  "I am linked to these three initiatives."

Opponents of the president, mostly ex-Communist Social Democrats⁶ who were accused of corruption when they ruled during the 1990s, accuse Mr. Basescu of using the intelligence services to spy on them.
 
One of the loudest critics is former President Ion Iliescu who has been investigated for his controversial role in calling in miners to break up demonstrations⁷ against his government in 1990.  The clashes left six people dead. Mr. Iliescu says President Basescu must leave or political disputes will continue
 
That view seems to be shared by Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu. Speaking through an interpreter, he accused Mr. Basescu of trying to please people with rhetoric⁸, but upsetting everyone but himself.

"He succeeded in being in conflict with the parliament, the Superior Counsel of the Judiciary, many times with the government," he said.  "All these things combined determined⁹ the reaction of the Parliament, that he was suspended."

The European Union, which Romania joined this year, fears the political troubles will slow down crucial reforms in the country.

Washington is also expected to closely monitor the situation. The United States wants to send hundreds of troops as early as this summer to Romania and Bulgaria as part of a bid to transfer fighting brigades from western Europe, mostly Germany, to forward bases closer to the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa, for a quicker strike capability¹⁰.

1 impeachment   

n.弹劾；控告；怀疑

参考例句：

• Impeachment is considered a drastic measure in the United States.在美国，弹劾被视为一种非常激烈的措施。
• The verdict resulting from his impeachment destroyed his political career.他遭弹劾后得到的判决毁了他的政治生涯。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

4 consolidation   

n.合并,巩固

参考例句：

• The denser population necessitates closer consolidation both for internal and external action. 住得日益稠密的居民，对内和对外都不得不更紧密地团结起来。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• The state ensures the consolidation and growth of the state economy. 国家保障国营经济的巩固和发展。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法

5 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

8 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

10 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。