Former President Traian Basescu does not preclude that "money of doubtful origin" might have been used during his 2009 presidential campaign, indicating that he would regret it if it had happened.
"I’d be sorry that in my campaign there should have been used money of dubious provenance, but I do not preclude that. I’ve been saying for a long time that the parties funding law needs to be amended (...) The PDL did not get a hold of the money. If someone wanted, if he came to me and said: I want to sponsor your campaign .... Run to the cashier, boy! "Basescu said Tuesday on a television station.
Basescu also added that having the parties financed by the state budget would eliminate the issue of sponsorship.
"The 2009 campaign, with nine candidates for the presidency representing parties and other three independent, an overall of 12 candidates cost the Central Elections Authority , 18 million lei. The 2014 campaign, with 10 candidates of parties and four independent candidates cost 9,6 million lei. We have a problem with the parties funding. Until we have made that stated funded, all the people stealing money will rush to finance the parties ", Băsescu added.