Former president Traian Basescu defended his Justice program on Tuesday night on Digi 24, saying he never discussed with Laura Codruca Kovesi or anyone from SRI any files seeking free justice.

However, he criticized the “show of handcuffs” in 2015-2018, blaming the “show-hungry” media, the chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate at the time, Laura Kodruc Kovesi, Liviu Dragnia and the SRI, including Florian. Koldea (deputy director) and Liviu Major.

“My goal was for justice to be free. It is a big lie that he called Besescu, told whom to arrest and who not to. This is a lie. Search for those arrested in Villa K2. Who met with Koveshi, with Koldea, with Mayor, with Dinku, with Dragne, and they discussed justice there,” Besescu said.

Answering the question whether he has evidence to confirm what he said, or whether he was informed about it by the services, the ex-president washed his hands of any responsibility.

“I saw it on TV. You published them, but the people who were supposed to give me the information were there, so they didn’t give it to me… I suspect they weren’t calling Kovesi to discuss the National Theater programme. They discussed issues related to DNA activity,” he told Digi 24.

However, Traian Basescu claims that he had a good cooperation with the intelligence services in the Department of Justice: “Including in matters of justice, in my opinion, the services were useful. Provide information, not make requests. Because we all received information. From the president to the ministers and to the prime ministers. We’ve all received information about things that were more or less okay.