Report on communist rule in Romania to become official document

In Romania, a presidential committee led by historian Vladimir Tismaneanu has been designated to develop a "scientific analysis of the abuses and crimes of the communist rule in Romania, from its beginning to the 1989 revolution." Last week, the president said he was willing to condemn communist crimes or the entire communist rule, but only based on a scientific analysis by a committee of historians and experts.

Yesterday, the president said the report the committee is to develop will become an official document of the Romanian state. He told committee members that he will offer his support for their access to any document referring to the communist period, so that the final report is coherent.
Basescu added that, as president, he has access to any document or archive and thus can support the committee.

Tismaneanu said yesterday the committee will submit its report to Basescu in November, but added that "it will not be the end of the world" if it is one or two months late.

He also said that the committee's activity is pro bono, but all experts that help the committee and are not part of it will be paid for their work.
Tismaneanu confirmed that Basescu offers his support and underlined that the president assured him that he will not get involved in the committee's activity.

The historian said that the committee will begin writing its report this summer and will work according to international standards. The report it develops will strictly refer to the communist period, with no references to the events of the 1989 revolution that ousted communism.
The report will include biographies of several leading members of the Communist Party and the former secret police.

On Wednesday, Tismaneanu said that he thinks the communist secret police, the Securitate, was a criminal organization, and added that if the committee reaches a different conclusion, he will assume the responsibility of a different opinion.