Yesterday"s unrest in Timişoara seemed to have eclipsed the news about the extraordinary even which happened in the same city: PSD admitted its faults, taking responsibility for the hardships it has caused the Romanian people during communism and the riots of the miners and has asked for forgiveness, as the first step towards a national reconciliation!
The officials of the PSD, Mircea Geoană (chairman), Liviu Dragnea (secretary general) and Ilie Sârbu (vice-president) signed a Pact for National Reconciliation, with the officials of the PNŢCD Radu Sârbu (chairman), Doru Năsui (first vice-president), Gheorghe Ciuhandu (president of the National Council of the Christian-Democratic National Peasants" Party - PNŢCD) and Liviu Petrina (vice-president), which ends with the words "God bless Romania!"
The document contains the following:
"National reconciliation requires those who were wrong to express remorse - and those who were wronged to grant forgiveness.
The Social Democratic Party expresses its regret for all the pain that communism has inflicted upon the Romanian people and for all the violent and illegal acts committed by the miners during their riots. Both political parties will do everything to reveal the truth and ensure justice is made".
Of course, it could be said that the document is open to interpretation - after all, PSD does not explicitly blame itself for the riots and for the wrongdoings of the communist regime in it.
Of course, the remorse of the PSD comes about two decades too late.
Of course, it could be said that Geoană would be willing to sign anything, as long as he wins the presidential elections.
Of course, it could be said that just one of the factions of the PNŢCD signed, and that PNŢCD chairman Marian Petre Miluţ did not sign the document.
Of course it could be said that this "reconciliation" took place a long time ago and that the "anticommunism" motif is out of place in this electoral campaign, especially since president Traian Băsescu has already condemned communism in the Parliament.
But all of the above are, in fact, mere details.
Regardless of the circumstances under which this document was signed, it is obvious that PSD is showing remorse, by expressing its regrets for the pain that communism has caused Romanians people and for the actions of the miners during their riots.
Our history will mark this date as the moment when the PSD officially broke away from its communist roots.
PSD obviously distanced itself from Ion Iliescu.
It is obvious he would never have signed such a document himself.
And the fact that only a faction of the PNŢCD signed the pact, isn"t really important; it is PSD and not PNŢCD that matters in this case.
PSD could have had any other party sign the protocol, or they could have just issued a simple press release; what matters is that PSD signed that document through its legal representatives.
Radu Sârbu wasn"t exaggerating; most likely if he would have lived, Coposu would have signed the document as well...