Ion Iliescu has died

I missed the old swine's death tilll  yesterday afternoon. (I am travelling.) He won the "competition" to outlive Queen Elizabeth II, Gorbachev and Dr Kissinger. He also outlived King Michael, an infinitely better man. 

Only two people defeated the Securitate: Ion Iliescu and Doina Cornea. 

In Romanian fashion I plagiarised that remark.

Iliescu's forthcoming state funeral reminds me of Belloc's little squib:

Here richly, with ridiculous display,

The Politician's corpse was laid away.

While all of his acquaintance sneered and slanged

I wept: for I had longed to see him hanged.

If you seek his monument, Romanians, look around you.