Romanians to back reformist president in vote

BUCHAREST, May 19 (Reuters) Romanians voted in a referendum on Saturday expected to keep President Traian Basescu in power and hand him a fresh mandate to revive his anti-corruption crusade.

Surveys show two-thirds of Romanians will vote ''no'' to parliament's proposal to impeach the plain-talking ex-sea captain many see as the symbol of the Balkan country's aspiration to shed its sleazy image.

''I hope he wins. I've got sick of living in a country run by thieves, only Basescu can help us get rid of them,'' said Gabriela Herea, a 66-year-old former teacher as she headed to a polling station in downtown Bucharest.

Polling stations opened at 8 a m (1030 IST) and the first exit polls will come out after voting ends at 8 p m (2230 IST).

Parliament suspended Basescu as president last month and called the impeachment referendum on the grounds he had exceeded his authority and fomented political deadlock in the new European Union nation.

Opponents, mostly ex-communist Social Democrats who have been tainted by charges of corruption from their time in power during the 1990s, also accuse Basescu of using intelligence services to spy on leading politicians.

''All those who are tired of chaos and scandal ... will vote like me,'' Social Democrat leader Mircea Geoana told reporters as he voted ''yes''. Analysts say a ''people power'' victory by Basescu would be a humiliation for the Social Democrats and could hurt it in next year's general elections.

There is no turnout threshold for the referendum to be valid.

About half of the 18 million voters are expected to vote.

Corruption is endemic in the ex-communist Black Sea nation, which joined the EU in January on the premise it would continue to fight corruption.

But soon after EU entry that drive all but stalled and Basescu's allies in government, like anti-graft Justice Minister Monica Macovei and Interior Minister Vasile Blaga, were sacked by Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu.

SANCTIONS RISK Diplomats say the European Commission is set to admonish the government in its June progress report, with some saying Romania risks sanctions that could cut aid from the bloc.

''Some people are beginning to think that we might have let Romania in too quickly because now they have no incentive to continue with reforms,'' a senior EU official in Brussels said.

Tensions between Basescu, a centrist, and his erstwhile Liberal ally Tariceanu have been growing steadily.

Basescu accused Tariceanu of shielding a network of corrupt politicians and the new business elites that profited from fast economic growth in one of the poorest European nations.

The two also fell out over Iraq, with Basescu insisting Romanian troops stay as long as required by the United States and Tariceanu pushing for a retreat.

Analysts said that a Basescu landslide will either push the government and its backers in parliament to adopt his anti-corruption agenda, or, if they are intransigent, hurt them in the 2008 general election.

''The government will come under permanent attack and it will have to continue with reforms Basescu wants,'' said Cristian Parvulescu, head of Pro-Democracy think-tank in Bucharest. ''He will not be stopped.'' REUTERS AGL KN1520