How Mazare tricked Geoana (photo gallery)

Constanţa citizens who handed in their adhesions to PSD long time ago, were called on Saturday to be given their party member card from the party's president in person.

Closely following the PCR [Romanian Communist Party] pattern, according to which, when one became a Pioneer or an UTC [Union of Communist Youth] member, the event took place in a representative location - to this respect, ships used to be very fashionable, the team Mazăre - Constantinescu chose the telegondola as the place in which numerous persons were given the party member card as the proof for having joined PSD. 

The leader of PSD county subsidiary, Radu Mazăre, explained that he appealed to this "solution" as in Constanţa, things were "unpatternable" and that was why the "classical, meeting-like" ceremonies were not characteristic to his team. "We thought that people are used to Constanţa not being compatible to any pattern, to experiencing here something different from the rest of the country. You know, during the communist era, children were turned into Pioneers in special locations of national importance. We have chosen Mamaia because this is a touristic objective and the telegondola is a symbol", stated the leader of the seaside democrat-liberals. An "unexpected" moment, meant to surprise the journalists, was the arrival of the first telegondola bringing the first "certified" future social democrats in front of the PSD staff, having in the first line the central leader, Mircea Geoană. According to a press release sent by Constanţa PSD, the local mass-media were informed that more than 300 young people were about to receive their red member card from the president Geoană. But the first two cabins were filled with old people... retirees... "They are fresh PSD members, so they are young for our party", suddenly came the reply from one of the PSD members, bothered by some ironical comments of the journalists'.

As they did not know for sure the names of those coming to get possession of their badge and PSD member party, some of the people arrived to the "terminal" had to wait until a little investigation was carried out in order to find out who was in the possession of their "proof" of having joined the party. There were even some "infiltrated" tourists who were about to be congratulated for their PSD membership, but they were showed another way in due time. 

Caught red-handed

Boasting about his party's considerable growth, the president Mircea Geoană wished to clear things up. "I think that we are beginning to see the results of our work and our party's internal democratisation. People are coming to a party which offers you the chance of expressing yourself, making yourself known and you can change something in this country. PSD knows how to get the votes from young and old people altogether", said the social-democrat leader.

The "mystery" of the great numbers of adhesions confirmed on Saturday was also unveiled. Because of their urge to induce the idea that the general discontent generated by the actual governing caused a lot of people join PSD, the local representatives of this party used a trick: they gave member cards to people who intended to join PSD long time ago. "One year ago, I handed in my adhesion and now they have called me here, to get my member card", declared a lady who was quickly sent away from the journalists, as she had disclosed some internal issues. Among those being confirmed as thinking and feeling in a social-democrat way was also Mihaela Ristea, bran new coordinating manager of County Authority for Social Allowances.

Nevertheless, this activity reached its target: too much ado, a lot of journalists on the barricades, and all those who had the chance of seeing and listening to Geoană and other PSD local leaders were not only from Constanţa, but also from the other corners of the country, as the season has begun.

At the ceremony of handing in the party member cards, there were also present the minister of the environment, Nicolae Nemirschi, the social-democrat parliamentarians and Euro-parliamentary candidates Adrian Severin and Rovana Plumb.