Adrian Nastase (foreign minister, then prime minister) is one of the most significant politicians in Romania’s history. Julija Timosenko has the same significance in Ukraine. One of them is in prison, the other will be. None of them is an angel. This article does not intend to question the allegations raised against them, because as I heard from smart men before if they intend to break someone they will. The allegation of abuse of authority and malpractice are always at hand and the investigative authority and the public prosecutor’s office can always find ’some’ evidence. If we consider the former socialist or post-soviet states such as Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Ukraine we can discover an odd tendency. In the mentioned states former prime ministers are subject to prosecution or already found guilty. In Slovenia Janez Jansa is accused because of a Finnish arm trade business, in Croatia Ivo Sanader is questioned in connection with corruption charges etc. In my opinion according to version A the democratic multi-party system and the market economy produced ‘such’ kind of politicians or according to version B the legal method of political reckoning became more popular where the will of the stronger prevails. Both versions are tragic. But both have a system as well.

Endre Aczél, Népszabadság, June 27. 2012.