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Romanian Prime Minister Accused of Plagiarism

Posted by timothy on from the let's-all-play-gerism! dept.

ananyo writes "In a revelation that could bring down the country's government, Romania's Prime Minister, Victor Ponta, stands accused of copying large sections of his 2003 PhD thesis in law from previous publications, without proper reference. Documents compiled by an anonymous whistle-blower indicate more than half of Ponta's 432-page, Romanian-language thesis on the functioning of the International Criminal Court consists of duplicated text. Last month, the country's education and research minister, computer scientist Ioan Mang, resigned following accusations of plagiarism in at least eight papers." Looks like it's contagious.

38 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. Governments fall by Runaway1956 · · Score: 2

    But it seems odd to me that an entire government should fall due to one cretin's past misconduct. Europeans (and parliamentary governments) have some strange habits.

    --
    "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
    1. Re:Governments fall by Infiniti2000 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's about corruption. When the government is in jeopardy because it has a difficult time dealing with corruption, and then something like this hits the very top of the government, there's a major problem with the whole government. It's not just one cretin.

    2. Re:Governments fall by meloneg · · Score: 2

      The phrase might make more sense if you read it as his "administration might fall". That's closer terminology from an American perspective.

    3. Re:Governments fall by Runaway1956 · · Score: 1

      Yes, that does put it into better perspective. Thanks for that!

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
    4. Re:Governments fall by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Insightful

      A 'government' is a parliamentary group(sometimes a party, most typically a coalition) large enough to pass whatever the procedural cutoff is for being allowed to put your prime minister in place. It doesn't, in this context, refer to the broader framework in which this occurs.

      If the US actually had relevant 3rd parties, it'd be the rough equivalent of the Senate Majority Leader facing a scandal, and then having the alliance between the GOP and the Libertarians or the Democrats and the Greens that gave him the majority collapse, leading to a new Senate Majority Leader.

      Not a nothing event; but hardly catastrophic.

    5. Re:Governments fall by alphatel · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ponta is innocent of such allegations. He paid someone to write his thesis so he is the victim here. These infidel hackers who stole from the publications should suffer. People in a position of power should always have the right to pretend to do something without fear of recrimination for work that was totally paid in full years ago! Go find those crooks, damnit!

      --
      When the foot seeks the place of the head, the line is crossed. Know your place. Keep your place. Be a shoe.
    6. Re:Governments fall by Hentes · · Score: 1

      The government and the party behind them chose that one cretin as their leader, making them also responsible. That doesn't necessarily mean that the government will fall, but it certainly isn't good publicity.

    7. Re:Governments fall by KingAlanI · · Score: 1

      that's what I thought - 'government' is a common term for the current executive branch in parliamentary systems

      --
      I listen to both RIAA and non-RIAA stuff if I like the music, tangential business/politics nonwithstanding.
    8. Re:Governments fall by Nyder · · Score: 1

      It's about corruption. When the government is in jeopardy because it has a difficult time dealing with corruption, and then something like this hits the very top of the government, there's a major problem with the whole government. It's not just one cretin.

      How the fuck does plagiarism equate to being corrupt?

      So you are saying, because someone was too lazy to paraphrase, and copy word for word, that they are corrupt and easily bought?

      Interesting, but not true.

      --
      Be seeing you...
    9. Re:Governments fall by Gaygirlie · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, yes, using the work of others and claiming it is done by you, and then using that as a stepping-stone to advance your powers is a form of corruption. It does not mean that the person is easily bought, but it does show that the person is dishonest and not a character fit for being a prime minister.

    10. Re:Governments fall by ergean · · Score: 1

      No... no... no... Let me tell you how it happens - in Romania: you take some slaves (aka students) and put them to study a small set of the problem (like a chapter of your thesis) and then you take the best works and you make them your own. The students should be punished!!!

      So I agree with alphatel, but nobody got paid. :)

    11. Re:Governments fall by nospam007 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "How the fuck does plagiarism equate to being corrupt?"

      He acted dishonestly in return for a university degree, which is a personal gain.

      corrupt/krpt/
      Adjective:
      Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.
      Verb:
      Cause to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.
      Synonyms:
      adjective. rotten - depraved - venal - bad - putrid
      verb. spoil - pervert - deprave - vitiate - rot - debauch

    12. Re:Governments fall by baegucb · · Score: 1

      Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin never has this problem. Oh wait...

    13. Re:Governments fall by AcademIQ · · Score: 1

      I quote, rephrasing someone dear, for Romanian people to know: " ..and then we'll have a new shameless dictator among us.. who likes to play with words. It was his duty to search for the "crooks", not for others to be payed to do this now, he isn't a kid anymore to blaim it on others...or is he? anyway he is not a real man to admit his own flaws or mistakes or whatever he calls what he approved for his PhD thesis. He doesn't have the guts to give up on what doesn't belong to him - the scientific title. He doesn't know or doesn't want to understand the consequences of his stupid ambition. Has he the dignity to admit and assume his mistakes? Did he payed for his PhD studies or he would have to give back the money too? Why does the population has to pay for this kind of fakers, with money and time invested in researching his past? Or maybe he blames the educational system...but then why isn't he doing anything to change this situation? PhDs, Masters, and all other thesis should be checked from now on with special software with access to databases from all over the world. There are so many on the Internet for free. He is quite young but doesn't care about younger generations of this country, that he claims to represent in his public positions when going to international meetings. He particularly is only a continuation of an old regime, who doesn't understand today's trends in industry, research or education around the globe, even if he studied international law - I'm refering to IP law. Unfortunatelly, there are many like him in Romania and the network is deeply rooted into the system. But most of people don't truely want this, they hate politics, it's too dirty to even talk about it anymore, but they have to, because it hurts children's future. A lot of them have children and want something better for them all together. If there is a chance for Romania, it is represented by Romanians emigrants and understand the real purpose of their nation, only they have the educational "tools" to change something into the system. They have the perspective, only if they had the wish to fill up the generational gap. The "smart guys" already decided to break up the communication channel with emigrants because they probably understand the power and the danger they could provide for political cause -see ICR - Romanian Cultural Institute, which it was a good connector to Romanian network outside the country. I am not agreeing with the means this actual unrepresentative political class uses just to be on top. I am tired to see them acting so irresponsible. This kind of strategy is no more agreed today in civilized countries. It matters a lot the means also, not only the purpose. It matters the QUALITY of a person more than what it "manages" to do. It seems Romania needs to check up anything related to people's Quality, to worry more as a society of such inadequancies. Where are the professionals to say what is good and what is not working in practice for Romania? Why do they have to get dirty with politics just to have their word in decision-making? Can they fall more than this? What do parents want for their kids in Romania? Nowadays, it would be much easier to change something if Romanians could return in the country, for the good of the nation, to change it from the inside. But I wonder how many of them wish so, with all risks. I am afraid of what is going to happen, if this incident passes with no actions or good exemples to follow by the next representatives. Roads are closed, better said locked inside Romania for the young innocent generations if the things continue like this. Bad exemples at the top equals worst for population. If Ponta did it than any kid can do it.. shamelessly.. from now on anyone will be encouraged to copy-paste it, cause it's a "precedent"..in legal terms speaking. It's too high from where he is, but the higher he is the more painfull the fall... This kind of imature approach of justifying by playing with words will lead us nowhere. A true, decent, mature, rational conversation, argum

  2. Politicians and plagarism by davidwr · · Score: 1

    Politicians steal phrases from other politicians all the time without giving credit.

    "I will not raise taxes" is one of the most-copied political statements of all time.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  3. Ponta isn't the only one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Oddly enough, Germany's minister for science and education, Annette Schavan, also faces allegations that substantial parts of her PhD thesis have been copied without proper attribution. As many as 56 out of 325 pages of her thesis were found to contain instances of plagiarism. Note that this Schavan is the same minister who called an earlier instance of plagiarism by the former German defense minister to be 'embarrassing'.

  4. Remember kids by TheSpoom · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you lie, cheat, and steal, you'll get into the top echelons of power. Just make sure you don't get caught... or at least, make sure that when you do get caught, you have the power to "take care" of whoever caught you.

    --
    It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
    - E. Debs
    1. Re:Remember kids by INeededALogin · · Score: 1

      If you lie, cheat, and steal, you'll get into the top echelons of power.

      ++

      Next step, full disclosure of high school and college papers. I bet we would fine that most politicians were/are plagerizers.

    2. Re:Remember kids by TheSpoom · · Score: 1

      While we're on the subject, it's kind of a life goal of mine to change this situation in the long run. The most well-known and potentially most powerful system with the most corruption seems to be the US federal government. As a web developer who would also like to bootstrap a startup one day, anyone have some ideas as to how I can effect some change to lower corruption in the federal government, legally? I have a few ideas but I'd be interested to hear others.

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    3. Re:Remember kids by TheSpoom · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Your devolution into "party politics" is a huge part of the problem. Please stop.

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    4. Re:Remember kids by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Sometimes it would be nice if the "truth" had some basis in provable facts though.

    5. Re:Remember kids by NeutronCowboy · · Score: 1

      Talk to Lawrence Lessig, it's his next big project: http://wiki.lessig.org/index.php/Corruption

      --
      Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
    6. Re:Remember kids by TheSpoom · · Score: 1

      Lawrence Lessig is a hero of mine. I'd love to work with him, though I'm sure he has access to the best and brightest anyway. Thanks for the idea.

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
  5. Apparently influenced by Lobachevsky by kallisti · · Score: 2

    Who made me the genius I am today?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlgRDdWUs7g

    Tom Lehrer, of course.

  6. Who cares? by x0d · · Score: 3, Informative

    Seriously, who does? Why is this on Slashdot? It's not like Romania is relevant in world politics..

    1. Re:Who cares? by michaelmalak · · Score: 2

      It's relevant because it demonstrates how new technology can be used to expose misdeeds from the past.

    2. Re:Who cares? by x0d · · Score: 1

      Nothing new here (see Guttenberg's and Schavan's case in Germany or Grasser in Austria).

    3. Re:Who cares? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      What new technology? The article doesn't go into any details, so for all we know it was a student in a library reading a paper book who spotted it.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  7. An old pal by reub2000 · · Score: 3, Informative

    How could you forget Pal Schmitt? Getting elected is all about lying to the electorate. Who would have thunk they'd have any problems lying when in school?

  8. That's not the worst thing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    They totally plagiarized the country name. They just took Rome and added -ania to it.

    1. Re:That's not the worst thing by elsurexiste · · Score: 2

      They totally plagiarized the country name. They just took Rome and added -ania to it.

      Also, this is the same country that has news like this

      --
      I rarely respond to comments. Also, don't ask for clarifications: a brain and Google are faster, believe me!
  9. You know what they say: by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    When in Romania, copy what the Romanians do

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  10. Plagiarism is everywhere by eimsand · · Score: 1

    Honestly, plagiarism is everywhere, even in mainstream academic press in the US. I've caught several papers that were heavily plagiarized that were submitted for peer review just using string searches on Google. (And that's not counting the SciGen stuff that still shows up from time to time.)

  11. finally! by postdan · · Score: 1

    Ponta, you've been "slashdotted"!

  12. but wait, it's ok! by Eponymous+Hero · · Score: 1

    he didn't actually use his law degree for anything law related, he became a politician! the ability to plagiarize and not get caught until you're already in power is a highly desirable skill among politicians. he's actually displayed extraordinary competence in his field.

    --
    insensitive clod overlords obligatory xkcd car analogy russian reversals whoosh pedant fanbois ftfy in 3...2...1..PROFIT
  13. OK in the United States by Jodka · · Score: 1

    Confirmed American plagiarists U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin are still enjoying successful careers. So it seems that at least in the U.S. plagiarism is somewhat tolerated.

    --
    Ceci n'est pas une signature.
    1. Re:OK in the United States by slew · · Score: 1

      Confirmed American plagiarists U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin are still enjoying successful careers. So it seems that at least in the U.S. plagiarism is somewhat tolerated.

      Why stop at Biden, Obama seems to have his hand in it occasionally as well... How does that saying go again: great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ... My guess is that most politicians fall into the later camp...

  14. fight corruption where ever it's found by schlachter · · Score: 1

    because we should fight corruption where ever we find it. we live in a small world. shit goes comes around and goes around. we should make it the best world we can, and how that others will do the same for us.

    --
    My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.