Friday, September 21, 2007

We Wish You...


Zangy Comment Graphics

* ----- *


Zangy Comment Graphics

* ROMANIA's WONDERS *



Black Church – Brasov - This Monument was finished in 1477, after hundred Years from the begining of build works, Black Church is the bigggest gothic church in the South-Eastern Europe (he can reach 5.000 people)

* ----- *


Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

Double play


A government of PSD (Social-Democrat Party) and PNL (National Liberal Party) members would have as obstacles only the leaders of the two parties, Mircea Geoana and Calin-Popescu Tariceanu. The long lasting talks of the main politicians in Romania, meant to find a structure for a stabile government, seem to be approaching the end. Even if political leaders claim officially that they can't estimate the outcome of the PSD bill against the government, and even if there is collaboration between the PNL and the PD (Democrat Party), the PSD and the PD or the PSD or the PNL, two identical moves are emerging. The main sides in the PSD and the PNL think that to give leaders Mircea Geoana and Calin-Popescu Tariceanu the sack is the solution for the making of a future PNL-PSD government.
PSD opinion leaders argue that reasonable analysis shows an alliance with the PD would be no good, because President Basescu, the unofficial boss of the party, has proved an unpredictable partner. Therefore a Liberal-Social-Democrat achievement seems more realistic. But Mircea Geoana and Calin-Popescu Tariceanu are the only obstacles. The former is a leader unable to impose himself on his party and even the PSD group in Cluj agrees this is so. Top PSD members reproach him for his naďve approach to the political traps set by the Romanian President. The latest confusion in the PSD and the existence of so many chaotic versions for negotiations have been reasons for dissatisfaction, according to top PSD sources. They claim that the sacking of Mircea Geona is just a matter of time. On the other hand, Calin-Popescu Tariceanu is reproached for failing to find stabile partners to support the government and also for the Liberals' diminishing score in polls. Given these, a PNL-PSD government is a solution the two parties can put up with, but above their leaders.
Mircea Geoana approaching the end
Mircea Geoana's days as president of the PSD are counted and some party members have got to talk about the end of his career as leader of the most important party in the opposition. His fate depends on the outcome of the bill against the government and of the election of MEPs in Romania. According to parliamentary sources, the bill may fail with help from the very Social-Democrat MPs. Not even in his meeting with President Basescu could the PSD president offer guarantees for his colleagues' votes.
As he is aware of what may follow if the bill is dismissed, Mircea Geoana has decided sanctions against those MPs who vote against the bill and he has been pleading for overt voting in the Parliament. A failure would give the PSD hard times, as the Social-Democrats have been focussing their energy to show they are the true pawn on the political boar. In case of defeat, Mircea Geona won't be in the position of expressing claims from the PD or the PNL and a loser's image would do the party no good. (...)
PSD sources say one idea negotiated was a reformed PSD to make a government. The reform wanted by the PD, the PNL and President Traian Basescu in particular would mean the elimination of those leaders in trouble with their credibility. Did this follow, there may emerge battle for supremacy over party sides. Furthermore, in his meeting with the head of state, Mircea Geoana was told that he wouldn't be appointed a PM to head a one single party government or even a government with Democrat members. (...)

D.I.
Ziua Vineri 21 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Two on the scaffold



Two top personalities will fall for two different reasons, both of them related to the struggle for power. Mircea Geoana and Calin-Popescu Tariceanu are these personalities. The first will lose leadership over the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) either after the bill against the government fails or because of his party's poor score in the election of MEPs. As for Calin-Popescu Tariceanu, he will lose his presidency over the PNL (National Liberal Party), even if he stays a PM. The reasons for it is his stubbornness, his obstinate refusal to make a long-term pact with the Socialist left.
Seemingly, Traian Basescu is making the rules again. More or less secretly, he is meeting with Mircea Geoana to plot the collapse of the 2nd Tariceanu government and either the establishing of a Democrat government or early elections. The PD (Democrat Party) has said it firmly many a time that they will have no collaboration whatsoever with the PD. Therefore a majority government to carry out the 4-year legislative government is out of question. If the 2nd Tariceanu Cabinet collapses, the Parliament will either accept a minority government of the PD and the PLD (Liberal Democrat Party), which is unlikely, because parties wouldn't join Traian Basescu's game and allow him to do what he pleases. Or the Parliament sticks to the other scenario, so far ceaselessly dismissed: the early elections, initiated by the same Traian Basescu. In order to put some gas on the fire the head of state is inciting the DNA (National Anti-Corruption Department) and the Prosecutor's Office too to a last assault. It will be the end of their credibility, but it will be efficient in blackmailing. Criminal cases are being opened against some politicians opposing the plans plotted in Cotroceni Palace. It is a focused attempt to make the government lose credibility and weaken the opposition Mircea Geoana is faced with in the PSD because of his mumbling dialogue with Traian Basescu. The latter lacks any foreign credibility, but he is extremely popular with people lacking basic education and knowledge of politics.
I have emphasized the President seems to be making the rules. Here is why. The idea is that for multiple reasons, some generous and ethical, others petty, the Parliament will avoid any scenario that may shorten the mandate and lead to early elections. Since politicians perceive Traian Basescu as public enemy no. 1, it is reasonable that the Parliament should struggle to avoid the second scenario considered by Cotroceni Palace: a minority PD-PLD government to grant Traian Basescu with unlimited powers.
Collaboration with the PSD would be suicide for both sides. Therefore the survival of the 2nd Tariceanu Cabinet is the only hypothesis left. Today's political crisis is fueled by three main leaders: Traian Basescu and we know what he pursues, Mircea Geoana, pushed from inside the party and lured towards suicide from Cotroceni Palace, and Calin-Popescu Tariceanu. The latter is obstinately dismissing the only way he can save his party on medium and long term.
Those who pushed MirceaGeona into the lethal scenario of the bill, which will obviously be dismissed, will soon do away with him from the leadership over the PSD.
As a PM, Calin-Popescu Tariceanu will continue in the recovery ward connected to the oxygen devices. But he will lose leadership over the party, in order to help the PNL survive in the future, and he will make room for a wing willing to make a left center alliance to open Liberals' access to power after 2008. If I am right, Traian Basescu will head failure.

Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Vineri 21 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Managers earn 11 average salaries a month


The earnings of top managers in private companies are 11,4 larger than the average salary in Romania, as calculated by the National Statistics Institute. A manager's gains reach over 3,500 Euro a month, according to the "PayWell - Salary and Benefits 2007" research authored by the PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The latter research is based on data in April 2006-April 2007. 1,027 RON is the average salary for April 2007, the National Statistics Institute says. Ruxandra Stoian, head of the consulting and human resource department of the PwC explained in yesterday's press conference: "We can notice a stabilization of the market, as in 1997-2000 the salaries of top management employees were about 20 times better than the average wages". The report mentions the salaries of experts employed by private companies are 3,1 times the average gaining. (...)
The research is grounded on interviews with 187 private companies on foreign capital, in 11 different fields: pharmaceutics, industry, IT, consume products, retail, banks, cars, distribution, agriculture, outsourcing and insurance. They employ a total of 150,000 people. Most companies participating have got business of over 10 million Euro. The PwC staff mentioned these companies were not representative for the entire market. (...)

Alina Stanciu
Ziua Vineri 21 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english