BUCHAREST (Reuters) – The European Commission urged Romania yesterday to resume anti-graft reforms after official results confirmed President Traian Basescu easily repelled parliament’s attempt to impeach him in a referendum.

Returns from 92 percent of the polling stations showed 74 percent of Romanians voted on Saturday against impeaching Basescu on charges that he overstepped his authority.

His victory comes after a bruising battle with parliament and the government of Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, whom Basescu has accused of slowing reforms Romania committed to when it joined the EU in January.

The European Commission has been alarmed at the reform deadlock and yesterday its president, Jose Manuel Barroso, welcomed the referendum’s outcome. “I want to congratulate President Basescu for the result in the referendum yesterday,” he said in a statement.

“I hope that this outcome will help Romania... to move forward with the reforms that are needed, especially in the areas of judicial reform and the fight against corruption.” Basescu, a former sea captain and the country’s most popular politician, got 5.6 million votes in the referendum, half a million more than in the 2004 election.

Preliminary results showed turnout was 44 percent, slightly lower than in 2004. Exit polls on Saturday saw Basescu support at up to 78 percent.

Parliament suspended Basescu as president last month and called the referendum on the grounds he had exceeded his authority. His opponents have also accused Basescu of using the secret services to discredit them.

No proof of this has emerged. Many Romanians regard the president as an anti-corruption crusader and a symbol of their long-frustrated goal to rejoin the European mainstream.

Corruption is endemic in the ex-communist country which joined the EU in January. Diplomats say the Commission is set to admonish the government in its June progress report, with some saying Romania risks sanctions that could cut aid from the bloc. Since joining, reforms have faltered and Basescu’s allies in government, like respected Justice Minister Monica Macovei and Interior Minister Vasile Blaga, have been sacked by Tariceanu.