Madmen's trial

The President of Romania Traian Basescu sued the Liberal health minister Eugen Nicolaescu and the trial is due in September 7, 2007. A statement made by the minister harmed the President's dignity.
"Basescu suffers from several diseases categories as mental diseases" are the words the President complained against, asking to be paid 500 million RON damages for harm done to his right to honor and reputation.
President Basescu demands the court to decide that minister Nicolaescu should pay for the printing of the court's decision in two editions of two national dailies. He also requests that the accused should pay for the trial expenses as well.
Minister Nicolaescu replied yesterday: "I think the President of Romania is again doing some exercise for the sake of his image, trying to assail the National Liberal Party one more time. I think that, if they had had time for complaints, like Mr. President has, all those harmed by Traian Basescu's political statements would have made him spend his time in courthouses only. I have taken up a sound Romanian principle: the smarter one gives up. As for the rest, I wish him my best".

Anca Hriban
Ziua Joi 12 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Basescu's bluff

-- These weeks are decisive for President Traian Basescu's entire political career. Although he has been isolated for a long time now, he has every time managed to find a crack to put a late effect bomb there and divert public attention from the severe errors committed in the first years of his mandate.
According to the Romanian dictionary, bluff means to lead the adversary into error and leave him the impression that your cards are better than his. Like a great poker player, Traian Basescu has always surprised his partners by taking full risks, even if he has only got a plain bluff in his hand. Expert gamblers say that after succeeding with two bluffs it is good to bet on the great cards only, for one adversary may get a good card and force you into showing what you have in your hands, which makes you vulnerable in future games, even if you pick up good cards. Had Basescu read the whole explanation in the dictionary, he would have found out that this bluff doesn't mean only "trick", but also "deceit".
The postponed promulgation of the pension law seems to me to be such a bluff, with Traian Basescu unmasked as trying to cheat on his partners. What the President has counted on in this scenario is obvious to everybody: on the one hand, on the belittling of the government's gain by this measure able to bring important electoral points and, on the other hand, on fooling people that, hadn't he got involved, the pension law would have been unable to apply. But this time his cheat and his demand for the government to provide him with data on the financial resources haven't been enough. It has made politicians roar with laughter. Firstly, because it isn't the President's job to make such a financial analysis, which the law initiators presented to the Parliament in detail anyway. Secondly, given the constitutional prerogatives, the President may at most send the law for revision just once and afterwards he has to sign for it. Then why make this scandal last longer ?
Party representatives were fooled in the latest consultations in Cotroceni Palace, which they attended like lambs ready to be sacrificed, since they knew they were in the middle of a dishonest political play. Now they no longer seem willing to obey Basescu's orders and therefore they have been writing piles of letter to the President, asking him to promulgate the pension law at once. The President is in the habit of making any political speech his victory. But this time he will drink from the bitter goblet of defeat. Unless he is wise enough to put up with his defeat, he may soon get to look into opinion polls like in a deep well, because people are willing to cheer you when you assail journalists. But if you leave them without their soup, they slap you.
This is the first time Traian Basescu is paying for the war he opened against Tariceanu. Under normal circumstances, before producing such a law draft, the parties in the Liberal-Democrat Alliance would have gone to Cotroceni Palace and, after consultations, they would have come out to inform public opinion so that they would enjoy the gains after such a victorious measure. The President has been arrogant at the PM for years now. And now his arrogance is turning into his own enemy. Maybe from now on he will for a long time regret having dumped some allies who would have never pursued to ruin his good reputation in the public eye.
If Basescu postpones the promulgation of the pension law, he will be at the heart of an important chapter in the history of political decay, whose first paragraphs have already been written.

Ion Spanu
Ziua Joi 12 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

EU and US support wanted

-- Sorin Iliesiu, vice president of the Civic Alliance and initiator of the appeal asking that Communist crimes should be officially condemned, Teodor Maries, a president of the 21st December 1989 Association, and Antonie Popescu, senior of Students' League, sent an open letter to the President of Romania Traian Basescu, the US ambassador in Bucharest and the Parliament of Europe. The authors demand support so that those responsible for the murders committed in December 1989 in Romania should be urgently sentenced. They also point to the delaying of the criminal cases on the Romanian Revolution and the coal miners' attacks in 1990 for several years. The document is critical of the Constitutional Court's latest decision to remove the cases from military prosecutors to civil ones.
In the letter there is argued as follows: "In these last 17 years, those guilty of the most dreadful assassinations by communism in the world, the slaughter in December 1989 and the fratricide in June 1990, have not been convicted. The main guilty for the crimes is Mr. Ion Iliescu, a President of Romania for 10 years, a former Communist activist".
The authors address President Basescu, as they think it is his duty to take action so that Justice would urgently restore the truth about Romania's recent history. In the document there is explained the entire evolution of the two cases and there are reminded the recent promises of general magistrate Dan Voinea, in charge of the cases, claiming that: "the cases will reach courts this year. The first are to be sent this month and the next one".
There is added that, after Ion Iliescu was charged with instigation to murder in June 18, 2007, "the Constitutional Court of Romania, made up of members mostly appointed by Ion Iliescu the accused, decided that the cases were to be removed from military prosecutors and transferred to civil prosecutors to handle so that the sentences would be delayed for years". Hence the main discontent of the Romanians fighting to unveil the truth and see the guilty convicted. There is also outlined: "This year both the general attorney and the minister of Justice committed to see that solutions would follow urgently". The authors warn: "Neither Romania nor the EU, neither NATO nor the US must put up with such injustice." They plead: "The truth is the only way Romania can make it. The EU, the NATO and the US need Romania to be clean and cured of the consequences of the crimes committed under the Communist dictatorship".
The last paragraph addresses the Parliament of Europe and the US ambassador to Romania, expressing kind request for support: "Help us exorcise the demons of the past in order to prevent them from reaching the future !"

Andrei Ghiciusca
Ziua Joi 12 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Charged ex president sent lawyers to talk to prosecutors

The lawyers of Ion Iliescu, ex President of Romania, went to the Prosecutor's Office yesterday to analyze the case charging their client with involvement in the coal miners' attacks in June 1990. Lawyer Ion Neagu says it is difficult to prove the guilt of the ex President, charged with involvement in murder. According to the lawyer, prosecutors must prove that Ion Iliescu deliberately influenced some persons to commit the respective crimes. The lawyer mentions in the case on the 4 Romanians who died in June 13, 1990 some people have already been investigated and claims he can't understand how the inquiry has led to Ion Iliescu's involvement.
Ion Neagu invokes the European Convention, according to which when certain deeds are committed under violent circumstances, they can't be called crimes, because of the special, unfortunate circumstances. The lawyer comments this point is in Iliescu's favor, because, as head of state, the latter had to choose between being passive at attacks against state institutions and taking action. Lawyers opine there is no evidence to incriminate the ex President. Prosecutors may question Ion Iliescu next week.

Bogdan Galca
Ziua Miercuri 12 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Pension fuss

-- Political leaders have been in competition making statements about the pension raise, each trying to show more concern about the Romanian retired.
PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu promised yesterday that the decision was irrevocable and he claimed it was not an electoral measure, especially that the governor of the National Bank of Romania came out to say it wouldn't cause inflation to grow. The PM also confessed he was thinking about settling a 90% competition for the medicine of the retired, even if the president of the Pharmacists Authority reminded him that the state had a 800 billion ROL debt to pay, because of having applied the same measure in 2004.
It was also yesterday that the President of Romania Traian Basescu announced he would promulgate the lying law only when it was usable financially. He expressed some questions for the PM. Mircea Geoana, leader of Romanian Social-Democrats, asked the President to promulgate the law "unhesitatingly". As for the Conservatives, they intend to go to Cotroceni Palace together with the representatives of the Romanian retired and ask for the same.
President Basescu's questionnaire
The President of Romania made a press statement yesterday evening and asked the PM some questions on the application of the new pension law, mentioning the issues raised would be part of a letter he would send the PM.
President Basescu claimed he wanted to know if there would be changes on the support funds the retired got to pay their heat bills and on those set for medicine. He argued: "So we give 50 RON to a retired Romanian and we cut his 80 RON support fund for heat. Pensions raise, but people don't get their medicine any more". He asked for precise estimation to look to 2011 and for an approximate one to reach 2013, a document to analyze whether the social state assurance budget was sustainable or not.
The President pointed to the "great" problem of the present law, outlining: "It leaves the poor in poverty and the ones enjoying large pensions get even larger ones." He commented: "It is one thing to apply 45% on 1 million ROL and it is something else to apply it on 10 millions. I think that, given the substantial budget effort, it is time for this effort to focus and help those on small pensions escape sheer poverty. I think there must be a balanced raise system instead of a linear one. "he added he wanted the financing for the pension raise to be certain, even if he had to return the draft to the Parliament.

Anca Hriban & Roxana Andronic
Ziua Miercuri 12 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

World Bank: Diseased, poor and uneducated

On the World Bank website there have been posted three reports on Romania's progress with the sanitary reform, social protection policies, pension policies and education system. The Romanian ministers of public health, labor and education have confirmed for us that the documents reached their offices too.
According to the World Bank experts, although health indicators in Romania have been improving, Romania is still behind the times as compared to the other European states. The advice is that the reform should continue.
As for pensions, the document has it that after 16 years of economic and social transition Romania is still working hard to achieve a feasible social protection system.
Education is no better, despite the many reform measures taken, Romanian students' achievements are still much poorer by the EU and OECD standards. (...)

C.S.
Ziua Marti 11 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Question of the Day: How are romanians in their own country ?

Animated GIFs

National strategy on political police

ZIUA has reached hot documents showing that key state institutions have been used by a small group of people using the pretext to fight against corruption and criminality. The politicians in power in the 1998-2000 worked secretly to found a National Interforce Unit, which gave birth to the self titled GOC (Central Operative Group). The group was financed for logistics by the Ministry of Finance.
In this group there were recruited certain persons from the main secret services and the Interior Ministry together with prosecutors who continue to hold key positions, even if the political regime changed. The GOC was meant to "prevent deviating behavior by monitoring the action" of high officials and magistrates, to proceed to spying and audio-video interception, to make up "legends" and play in "games and operative combinations". Numerous businessmen and high officials became targets of such means.
The political police system has continued to exist under all regimes. The only difference is that some time ago it was decided that audio-video interception obtained without a warrant might no longer be used as evidence in Justice. But, just as before, it continues to be a terrible instrument for blackmail in the hands of those who are in control of such information.
Impressing set
Once Romania got closer to civilized Europe, every system got to establish more and more pompous anti-corruption structures in order to persuade citizens that they indeed pursued to eliminate corruption and organized criminality. Romania has nowadays got the most impressing set of anti-corruption structures in Europe. But the results are nothing, unfortunately. The reason is that the fight against corruption has been simulated and it has served those in power. Secret services and courts are far from being independent and serving citizens. On the contrary, such structures are subordinate by invisible ways to Presidency and some political groups who select and appoint people to head the respective structures. (...)
In the last year the methods used have grown subtler. As recordings obtained without permission may no longer be used in lawsuits, they have gone on intercepting on grounds of all sorts of warrants released on the names of persons close to the personalities at stake (relatives, colleagues and so on), until the 'target' is entrapped a criminal case can be drawn.
What is most concerning about such activities is that no prosecutor or secret agent has even been accused of the numberless breaks of human rights committed: illegal intercepting, followed by blackmail with the information thus collected.

Razvan Savaliuc
Ziua Vineri 06 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

On principles

I have found it difficult to understand why President Basescu decided to come out in a special edition of a TV show accompanied by two journalists not exactly easy to get along with. As I am aware of the risk I am taking - the President raged against those daring to comment on his statements -, I am now sketching an analysis of his discourse that can help us better understand what Mr. Basescu pursued by such a stormy interview.
Here are the pejorative words Mr. Basescu used most often to describe his adversaries: "control" (6 times), "mafia" (6 times) and "mafia man"(6 times). Words derived from "mafia" were insistently used by his interlocutors too more than 10 times. Then there was "complicity" (4 times), whenever used associated to "control". And there was the "collapse" (2 times) too. Let's mentions two tough words - "gang" and "bluff" -, each of them used just once, but with prominent resonance. As for the good side of his vocabulary, a word as noble as "principles" was used 6 times, with Mr. President himself as beneficiary. "Political ideals" was spectacularly used just once, with the President pitying his adversaries for lacking it.
What conclusions can we reach ? First of all, that the President is still furious because for now he can't make even for the MP's decision to suspend him and therefore he is again addressing the Romanians (used 12 times), in order to consolidate the idea that an impure complicity of the "political mafia", this 3-headed monster (Hrebenciuc, Oltean and Verestoy, each name uttered 3 times), is the only one responsible for the evil in the country and in the world.
As I am a restless blog reader, I believe he needn't tackle it again: complicity, political mafia and occult group mafia are so deeply rooted in the collective mind, which is completely indifferent to the absence of evidence and delighted with Basescu's frequent incantations! It is just that the presidential frustration has this time got a worrying object: the Parliament's unanimous decision to raise pensions and in particular the Tariceanu Cabinet's decision to take responsibility for it and identify resources to cover for the raise. Therefore the President needs to mobilize people against the 322 MPs and the political mafia: the economy of his speech shows President Basescu asked for the "the special edition" out of fury, in order to discredit this decision. He used everything at hand as threat: collapse of the pension system up to the sacrificing of the future - education and highways - in favor of the past, symbolized by the retired. And then the denounced the law as being a bluff. That flaw of logic allowing a poor bluff to cause the system to collapse has passed unnoticed too.
In the last 15 years only those crocodiles who didn't want to didn't shed rivers of tears to sympathize with the fate of the retired. Therefore in vain did Mr. Basescu repeat the word "decent" and its kin 5 times, for such an attempt to disappoint people already despaired is nevertheless deeply indecent. In 1991, the parliamentary majority of the Front for National Salvation passed Law 18 and Mr. Iliescu's attitude at it was bitter, which did not prevent the peasants from continuing to believe, which goes for the present too, that it was Mr. Iliescu who gave them land. I don't know what Mr. Basescu is afraid of, since, just like Sassu, "the fake politician, originating from the Front of National Salvation, then joining the Democrat Party, he stayed in the gang he preferred, the initial one, the Front for National Salvation". Given the PSD rule, the Romanian retired will continue to curse the Parliament and cry with joy that Basescu raised their pensions.

Zoe Petre
Ziua Vineri 06 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Ex President's rage

The ex Romanian President Ion Iliescu, an executive president of the PSD (Social-Democrat Party), wants a reply to President Basescu's statements, which Iliescu takes for unconstitutional.
The head of state's words have split the PSD in two sides and enraged Iliescu. The latter is angry that the Romanian President put him on the 'bad guys' list, whereas the PSD group in Cluj was placed on the 'good guys' one. Iliescu insisted yesterday that central party leaders should reply by criticizing Basescu's attitude. PSD sources claim that Iliescu is accusing the head of state of interference in the Social-Democrats' domestic life. But the ex Romanian President's rage hasn't had the estimated effect, as yesterday all party heads claimed it was impossible to reach a decision on it because the PSD president Mircea Geoana was abroad. The Cluj group commented that Basescu's statements were harmless and they shouldn't be taken too seriously.
Party sources explain: "For about a fortnight now Iliescu has been furious that no one is doing a thing and that the party is proving no solidarity with him. First there was the prosecutors who questioned him (in the coal miners' attacks case) and now there is the Basescu issue. He is very angry and he is asking that central leaders should take action, but they are keeping silent". Sources also add that Iliescu phoned several party leaders to ask them for response to Basescu: "He didn't necessary ask for solidarity, but at least for a press release, some response".
The PSD sources also mention that in next week's meeting Ion Iliescu is likely to demand the PSD for radical attitude at Traian Basescu's repeated interfering comments. (...)

Mihai Toader & Roxana Andronic
Ziua Vineri 06 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

DGIPI officers are dunces

The much-feared agents of the secret service in the Interior Ministry unveiled themselves as if they had been some amateurs. 469 employees of the DGIPI (General Department of Information and Domestic Protection) sued the state and this is how the real names of under cover officers came out.
They risked their cover-ups and even their lives to be paid some holiday bonuses. On the list of the greatest uncovering in Romania there are the two inspectors heading the DGIPI: Constantin Darna and Neculae Plaiasu.
The DGIPI chief Petru Albu did not address the court because he had just taken over the department from Virgil Ardelean, known as The Fox. The latter is now gone and he left the agents unpaid and on the verge of revolt. The trick may have been plotted to discredit the new officials.
What is certain is that the agents' stupidity jeopardized some missions and even the lives of some who made fools of themselves for some extra wages.
Cristian David, the Romanian interior minister, is sorry that an intelligence service chose this way to argue for their right to bonuses. According to the minister, the initiative has been "awkward and unprofessional". The list of the agents complaining to the Bucharest Court of Appeal was on the courtroom's door. And now in can read it in today's newspaper too. (...)

Razvan Savaliuc
Ziua Joi 05 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

One boring character: Traian Basescu

A 2-hour interview with President Traian Basescu on Realitatea TV station, Tuesday, July 3, 2007 A.C. Hosts: Robert Turcescu and Emil Hurezeanu. From 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. A useless show. Uselessly gifted journalists, that is unable to ask questions. A useless, powerless, unimaginative and pointless character. A President who can do no more than speak. And his accent is visibly Russian.
Traian Basescu is a worn out President. In 2-hour prime time he could have said all he wanted to, if he had something to say. But he proved he didn't. It is only during electoral demonstrations that he feels at ease. When in his President armchair, he manages to do one thing only: break the Constitution a little, to quote the Constitutional Court. He did it by offending parties, officials, press and parliamentarians.
No news: assail against PM Tariceanu, critique of the parliamentary majority, stigmatization of Liberal Bogdan Olteanu, speaker for the Chamber of Deputies. Not even today has the President apologized for calling Olteanu "a villain" in a Pro TV show. Disdain for the PSD (Social-Democrat Party), the main party in the opposition, advertising for Viorel Hrebenciuc and Verestoy Attila.
I could see a tired and bitter President lacking resource. I think he was a bore to everybody. He no longer developed on corruption, the favorite topic of Romanians fond of God's whip. But he criticized the mechanism of representative democracy, the negotiating, which he called "complicity", and belittled the role of the press in democracy, taking the press for a parasite on politicians.
What President Basescu actually did was express the very same message again: He is the right man for governing the country through a government of Democrats, with a puppet-PM and parliamentary majority of the single party kind. He made a mistake when talking about the Democrat's ascent to the government and said "I would govern..." He is certainly relying on Romanians' wish for a new Ceausescu, but one "to give" them more money.
And President Basescu dropped a brick when analyzing the new pension law because: 1. The MPs voted for it unanimously. 2. He isn't brave enough to say 'veto' at the promulgation, but he is threatening he will ask the resources should be specified, which he can do only if returning the law to the Parliament, which he won't dare do. It would be like penalty for himself and populism for the Parliament.
President Basescu criticized other people for what he appreciates in himself: backstage plotting. What a pity that his elite hosts didn't fire questions! They should have taken up issues such as the following: the phone calls from Daniel Morar, head of the National Anti-Corruption Department, prosecutor Tulus's interest in the way a senator, even if Verestoy, voted. Why did he criticize PM Tariceanu for having informed him about the judiciary abuse of prosecutors in the case of Patriciu, since he showed presidential sympathy for Paszkany, the man in Cluj, for the latter had informed him in a similar case ? More issues: the records illegally taken from the archive of the Information and Protection Department in the Ministry of Defense and the house, supposed to be returned to the rightful owners after having been confiscated by the Communists, now inhabited by the parents of justice-maker Monica Macovei, the house on Mihaileanu Street, the parking area belonging to Dorin Cosos, Casuneanu's business with the concrete pavement, the cheap and good electricity of his brother Mircea Basescu, the thousands of Euro his daughters get every month from contracts on the city lights, the Anvers record, the 13 Presidency advisers who resigned, the presidential sanctions against Antena 3 TV station and more. And in the end there is an announcement for you: did the press not made President Basescu popular, President Basescu wouldn't exist.

Roxana Iordache
Ziua Joi 05 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

What did Traian Basescu get round Gabriel Liiceanu with ?

I cannot agree with those who claim that only commercial interests would back up Gabriel Liiceanu's attachment to Basescu. The self-respect prevents him from depreciating himself. I've met him when I was a student, we used to talk about Noica and other escapes from the contingent. However, he had the singular courage to vote against the persecution measures taken against his brilliant colleague and friend Andrei Plesu.
I didn't even dream at that time that Editura Politica (the Political Publishing House) of the communist regime would be taken over, not long after, by Gabriel Liiceanu, and turned into an imposing cultural industry. "Humanitas" is an enterprise meant to prove the fact that a man of culture can brilliantly succeed also in business. I was glad for this exemplary success, even though not so glad for the readers' pockets, as the books prices are quite prohibitive. There are, however, debts left not honoured. And some consider that exemption of debts would stand behind the support he grants president Basescu. I can't believe that. I believe, instead, that the cultural manager Gabriel Liiceanu has gone about with president Basescu for commercial reasons - see the book fairs, especially the last summer one when two books signed Traian Ungureanu were launched in the presence of the author. The event was broadcast live by "Realitatea TV"station (own by the "oligarch" forgiven-Vantu).
Good for cultural manager Liiceanu that he has taken advantage of president Basescu in commercial purpose. However it's not too good that president Basescu is taking advantage of Gabriel Liiceanu in electoral purposes. That's the problem. He abandoned the arduous monarchist conviction he proved by the time (1992) we took part in the production of the movie "Monarchy saves Romania", produced by Sorin Iliesiu. Mr. Liiceanu has accepted to become an honorary presidential counselor and takes part in the drawing up of a Constitution draft on "the third republic". In 1994, he refused to be a member of the Consultative Council of His Majesty, King Mihai I. Liiceanu said then that he wanted to devote himself to the cultural activity and that there was nothing to do for the return to monarchy under the conditions of Iliescu regime.
In 1999-2000, when Mr. Liiceanu was a member of the Council of Administration of TVR (the public television), I expressed, in an editorial in "Romania libera", my regret on the fact that he came round to those who rejected Lucia Hossu Longin's candidature to the position of CEO of the public television. Later on, he realized he had been wrong, but he was still angry with me. The important thing is that he apologized to Lucia Hossu. And it would also be important that now, he brings back the bait Basescu has thrown him and that he has swallowed unchewed, together with other intellectuals who were in the Parliament's box when the president condemned the communism. Then, Vadim Tudor, the contrast character, was intensely used to intensify the democratic nature of the all-of-a-sudden-anti-communist Traian Basescu and also to emphasize hostility against Parliament.
The Parliament is aberrantly put in opposition to the people. But the parliamentary parties represent the people. Otherwise we would have had totalitarianism. Mr. Liiceanu rallied the anti-parties campaign, being seduced by the role of anticommunist the ultimate exponent of the communist system, that is president Traian Basescu, performs. Gabriel Liiceanu keeps on repeating that he appreciates the "gestures in which he recognizes himself". A great actor, Marcel Iures, told me that he hated the phrase "to make a gesture". Actions, not gestures, he pointed out. An act is a fact. The gesture is theatricality. Or, a third-rate falsity.

Roxana Iordache
Ziua Luni 02 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Romania, a banana republic ?

One functional feature of a classical banana republic, such as those once financed by the CIA in Central or South America or such as all dictatorships, consists in an extreme discrepancy between the standards of life and the concerns of the main state officials and of the rest of citizens. This is related to a foreign affairs policy in keeping with international standards, always searching for sources of credibilization, still very far from domestic reality.
Romania is slowly, but certainly heading such a state of things. During the reunion of the Supreme Council of National Defense last week they decided to send more troops to participate in missions abroad. A normal decision made by a NATO member wishing to consolidate its weak status and credibility at international level. Nothing bad so far. The NATO summit to take place in Bucharest next summer may also be a positive event. It is just that the very same day Romanian television stations were showing an unbelievable situation, filmed during a government meeting: Mr. Tariceanu yelling at his poor minister, Mr. Nicolaescu, telling him to find a specialist in emergency situations to deal with the health of Romanians facing a heat wave. And Mr. Tariceanu was so kindly adding: Get the Emergency Hospital or the University Hospital head or some of the kind to handle emergencies !
It proves there are at least two parallel realities in Romania: one with the perfect troops and their 21st century equipment and another one with 'made in Romania' improvisation for the life of a population no politician cares about any longer. We are perfect at arranging conferences, seminars and debates, followed by parties. Of course all these mean huge contribution to the national budget. But what is interesting is that the tradition inherited from Ceausescu's etiquette works: the attendants of such events are surrounded by an impermeable sanitary belt to efficiently protect them against the rest of the mortals and against reality as well.
The NATO officials get a surprising and slightly embarrassing companion (chains of official cars preceded by motorbikes visibly and rudely ridden by the Guardianship and Protection Service chaps on routes not open to public traffic). So how can they know how the protection system for civil emergencies works ? Any clime phenomenon is extreme catastrophe to us. And the naked truth is that Romania lacks national systems to respond coherently and functionally.
God protect us against some terrorist attack in Bucharest and against special emergency transport on our deadlocked streets and avenues! God protect us against some major epidemic ! When hospitalized, Romanians have to bring their medicine, bed sheets, towels and syringes from home. Let's keep in mind the tragic state of things we don't report to the EU or NATO chaps: in Romania there still are localities lacking electricity and a huge number of lodging places and households without sewerage.
No one will prevent us from going on with our lives within such a reality. They pretend they don't know about it and we are proud and enthralled with national haughtiness. Isn't this supposed to be a target of Romania's European development ? If it isn't, can you see anyone care about it ? Still no one there...

Cristian Unteanu
Ziua Marti 03 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Intellectuals and power

Mr. Sever Voinescu wondered rhetorically in a yesterday's editorial: "Is it grounded, the fear that they, in their closed circle, are quickly writing a Constitution that sanctions Basescu as a god and then push it upon us?" He then immediately answered no, as: "A condensed rational analysis of this fear irrevocably broke it up. A new Constitution will only exist if the main political forces want it and, eventually, only if the people vote for it".
Fair enough, on condition that we all agree on the definition of the terms: what do we mean by "main political forces" and "eventually" ? During the debate that has launched the alert, the detonator was the idea vigorously expressed by some of the most imposing supporters of this new constitutional drawing up. Well, on account of this, during such a procedure of founding the third republic, the political parties and the parliament should be short-circuited, and the new constitution should be adopted directly by means of a plebiscite. In consequence of, I recalled the tragic constitutional experiences by the time King Carol II would also fully benefit from the public support of some imposing intellectuals, from Mihai Ralea to Nae Ionescu. The bitter criticism of the Parliament and the parliamentarism - to a certain extent a work of the same intellectual circles, as well as of the "furious young people" of the extremes, eight and left in a heap - had preceded, with an ever increasing intensity, the plebiscite that legitimated the dissolution of the Legislative and the banning of the political parties. Therefore, what does "eventually" mean ?
The public opinion in Romania has no organ to process international matters, because the recent history had turned the national ones into an obsession.. Neither the media, nor the political parties - as "Romania-centered" as any of us - pay any attention to the international context. If they did, they would notice at once that the aggressive populism is the main current threat to the representative democracy, the one about which Churchill said it was the worst political regime except for all the others. The post-modernist populists stand out by their voluntarism that tends to replace the law by an anti-oligarchic attack which in fact aims at bringing into power their own clientele-based oligarchy, by an authoritarianism carefully disguised for the national security and by an idealization of the State as a liberating force for the "people" and opposed to the country's political and economical elite.
Or, illustrious intellectuals - Nobel Prize for literature, like Harold Pinter or Günter Grass, famous scientists, like Noam Chomsky or Joseph Stiglitz (Nobel for economy) - turn out to be fascinated by their own vainglory and by the authoritarianism of some "caudillios" like Chávez or even Castro. When top intellectuals plead against the democratic system, the discourse effectiveness is directly proportional to their talent and intelligence. Intellectual prestige does not forbid political far-sightedness, but doesn't either generate it automatically.
At the end of his editorial, Mr. Voinescu still wonders: "Why Mr. Emil Constantinescu, the first non-communist president of Romania, ... , hasn't managed to gather these intellectual forces to assist him ? Mr. Basescu does it now, in spite of the fact that his biography recommends him to a much smaller extent as a favourite of the intellectual elite". Yes, how comes ? If I let myself lured by the ironical register, I would say for now - more in detail, another time - that Mr. Constantinescu's great fault seems to be hasn't had any philosopher brought to secret consultation by the presidential plane.

Zoe Petre
Ziua Vineri 29 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Tariceanu contradicted by Vladescu on pensions

The deputies adopted, yesterday, with no dissentient voice, the Law on pensions proposed by PSD (Social Democrat Party). This law establishes an increase in the pension point to 37.5% starting 1 January 2008, and to 45% starting 1 January 2009. Moreover, the regulation stipulates the doubling of the farmers' pensions and an increase by 5% of the State pensions starting 1 September. The governmental officials contradicted each other about the opportunity to adopt this law. In spite of the fact that the minister of Labour, Paul Pacuraru assured that there were enough financial sources for increasing the pensions, the State secretary in the Ministry of Economy and Finances, Sebastian Vladescu warned that the increase of the pension point constitutes a danger for the macroeconomic stability. Right after the vote, the Liberals and the Social Democrats claimed for the success of having passed the bill.
Two billion Euro effort for the State budget
"The budget will feel the effects of such an abrupt increase, as it is somewhere over two billion Euro, that is approximately 2% of the GDP; it will be a long term effort, and the amounts will eventually be taken from the investment envelope", said Vladescu, quoted by Mediafax. He pointed out that he disagreed with such a great pressure on the pension envelope, provided that the system was already unbalanced, if we take into account the fact that the number of beneficiaries goes high above that of the contributors - the working people. On the other side, Vladescu explained that an increase of such proportions of the pensions would generate very important requests from the workers, who won't accept any longer increases of wages on account of the economic performance and the inflation rate.

Raluca Papadopol
Ziua Vineri 29 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

We don't withdraw from Iraq

-- On the contrary, CSAT (Supreme Council for National Defense) approved yesterday a supplement of 346 troops that are to be ready to join the 1625 ones around the world under UNO, NATO and EU command
The Supreme Council for National Defense has approved the package of forces and means that can be made available, in 2008, for the participation in missions of collective defense, for peace purposes, of humanitarian assistance and those of coalition-type. Practically, by the decision adopted yesterday in the CSAT, Romania will not withdraw its troops from Iraq the way PM Tariceanu would have wanted. He would state, until last Christmas, that the Romanian military in Iraq were to come back home. Traian Basescu managed to impose his viewpoint in this delicate matter that has fueled for the last few months the scandal between PNL (National Liberal Party) and Cotroceni Palace. The Liberal ministers members in the CSAT, headed by PM Tariceanu, weren't either as vehement as in the past in claiming a total withdrawal from Iraq, one of the reasons being that of the signals received from the US officials. They expressed on various channels their discontent towards the intention of the Government in Bucharest to withdraw its troops from the Iraqi theatre of operations. Right now, Romania has 495 militaries in Iraq (491 in the Iraqi Freedom mission and four military in the NTMI-NATO mission for training the Iraqi officers). As compared to 2007, the forces that can be dislocated for international missions under UNO, NATO and EU command, which are in the country now, will increase by 346 the number of military.
Dryness in CSAT
The PM handed the President, at the beginning of the meeting, a quite thick file containing updated information on the drought affecting Romania. Even though the topic hadn't been enlisted on the CSAT agenda on Wednesday morning, the head of State asked the PM to come to Cotroceni Palace with a detailed report on this matter and also with the measures the Government was going to take for combating the drought.
Among others, the document submitted by Tariceanu shows that the Executive will maintain the subventions for irrigation, it will take action to rebuild the irrigation system, and also to identify the ways of granting compensations for the crops affected by drought.
Moreover, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture are to draw up a national strategy for combating the drought for a 20-year period.
On the other hand, Basescu asked the PM that, besides the financial support granted by the Executive, he should ask the EU the payment in advance for the subventions for the affected areas, this being a procedure also used by other Member States.

Doru Dragomir
Ziua Vineri 29 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

PSD and PNL agree on future pensions

The PSD (Social-Democrat Party) and the PNL (National Liberal Party) managed to agree on the pension law and the labor committee of the Parliament decided yesterday to rise pensions the way the PSD wanted, so that the minimum pension would reach 37,5% of the average gross wages starting with January 1, 2008 and 45% starting with January 2009.(...)
Satisfied with the outcome, the PSD members dropped the idea to come up with parliamentary bill against the Liberal government and keep the text in the drawer until the final voting on the project, due in the Chamber of Deputies today. The PSD leader Mircea Geoana threatened that PSD MPs playing truant today would be expelled from the parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies.

Roxana Andronic & R.I.P.
Ziua Joi 28 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Devil's advocate

Minister Cristian David used the government's Control Department against Romania in order to protect some lawbreaking Italian investors.
The fraud privatization of the biggest state-owned land company in Transylvania can't be annulled because of a document made up by the ex head of the Government's Control Department, at present Romania's interior minister.
At the end of 2006 the state of Romania asked the court to annul the process on the privatization of a considerable part of the state-owned company Dealul Ocnei. 1,120 hectares of agriculture land, 705 hectares of pasture, 176 hectares of forest vegetation and 18 hectares of roads got in the hands of a company called SC Agriful SRL in 2004. The Italians promised investments of hundred thousands of Euro, but all they did was prepare the land for sale.
The State Property Agency and the Environment Protection Agency became aware of the law break and the contract and addressed the court to annul the privatization. The Italians complained to the government and minister Cristian David ordered checks to deny the reports by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment Protection Agency. The lawyers working for SC Agriful intend to use minister David's report against the Romanian court tomorrow, after postponing the court session eight times. (...)

S.A.
Ziua Miercuri 27 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

EU grows more demanding

The European Commission's report on the progress Romania has made in 6 months of EU membership doesn't mention the application of the safeguard clause, but EU authorities advise Romanian officials to draw an action plan with well-defined stages by October, in order to make the necessary reform accomplishments.
The report released yesterday includes some critique of the evolution in the Romanian Justice reform, but it does not recommend the activation of safeguard clauses. It only mentions the monitoring will go on. And Romanian Justice continues to be under Brussels watch and it is supposed to proceed to clear measures.
Practice is flawed
Apart from expressing appreciation for the progress of Romanian Justice, the European Commission explains that specific objectives are to be considered together, as parts of an ample reform of the judicial system needing long term political will. There are demanded ampler proves that theory is put to work so that the changes will prove irreversible. The Romanian government is described as committed to the Justice reform and to the elimination of corruption from the system. The European Commission estimates that Romanian authorities are well meaning and determined and they elaborated legislative projects, action plans and the necessary programmes. Still, there is added, Romania can pass the exam only if showing determination to carry out the measures each and every day. The document points to the flawed transformation of intentions into results.
Romania's intensifying efforts to fight against corruption enjoy appreciation, but there is added that a lot of things still need to be done, as the progress made is still not enough. (...)
The document emphasizes that the needed structural changes effect on society as a whole and call for progress that means more than the mere accomplishing of specific missions. Romania is supposed to prove constant determination and it will succeed if it shows respect for the strict separation of the powers, political will and a stable world of politics.
Justice staff problems
After a strict evaluation of Justice staff problems, the European Commission has concluded that more efforts are needed to complete the staff structure. There is estimated that the reform in the field hasn't been complete. EU officials say that the existing juridical guarantees on the mandates of judges and prosecutors are making the use of a staff policy based on needs more difficult.
The report mentions concern about the quality of the staff recently recruited for the Romanian Justice system and warns that magistrates recruited on a lower standard level may prove hard to eliminate, although unable to meet Justice system requirements. (...)

George Damian
Ziua Joi 28 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Romania under accusation

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed yesterday the second report authored by Swiss MEP Dick Marty, claiming that Romania and Poland housed CIA detention centers in 2003-2005. The resolution draft attached to the report released in June 8 in Paris was adopted due to 124 favorable votes in a long lasting session.
The numerous amendments from the delegations representing Poland and Romania were all dismissed. Given the decision, the Parliament of Europe is going to continue investigations and both states at stake may get severe sanctions in case they are found guilty of breaking human rights.
The accusations claiming that in 2003-2005 Poland and Romania housed CIA secret detention centers were denied by both Warsaw and Bucharest authorities. The report also claims that states like Germany and Italy opposed the search for the truth by invoking the secret of state. The resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly claims that national governments invoked the secret of state and national security in order to prevent judiciary or parliamentary procedures meant to decide on responsibilities.
The resolution also demands that member states should promise to play no part in authorizing the transportation and detention of detainees still in Guantanamo on their territories. The document insists on the rehabilitation of victims, reminding that secret detention is a break of commitments taken by the US and the member states.
Wall of silence
Dick Marty argued that European governments built "a wall of silence" to reply to accusations of complicity to the CIA programme on the secret detention of terrorist suspects. He added that a concept such as secret of state was unacceptable when it was about breaking human rights.
Polish senator Urszula Gacek commented this was a conspiracy theory fueled by a generous anti-American feeling. Romanian politician Vasile Ungureanu described Marty's report as resembling "a movie script" and he demanded it should be dismissed. (...)

George Damian
Ziua Joi 28 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Prosecutors question ex Romanian President

Military prosecutors questioned ex Romanian President Ion Iliescu yesterday afternoon on the case concerning the 4 Romanians who had died during the coal miners' attacks in June 1990. The ex President reached the office accompanied by his lawyer Ion Neagu, after being summoned for the third time.
Before talking to the prosecutors he told the journalists there that there was nothing he could reproach himself for in relation to the events at stake. He also added having asked the Prosecutor's Office to materialize the facts that could incriminate him so that he would have something to talk about with the military prosecutors. He commented: "I have received nothing from prosecutors so far. This is investigators' duty before starting any inquiry".
The ex President was critical of the way he was charged, claiming that fishy persons were behind the action. He argued: "For now we know the complaints from people and groups who say all sorts of aberration. The accusations are the work of complaint authors on whose morality there is much doubt". (...)

T. B.
Ziua Joi 28 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

New Constitution wanted

A group of Romanian intellectuals wrote an Appeal for a New Constitution, claiming there is need of "a new constitutional order" to "enshrine and settle the reality of the third republic". Catalin Avramescu, Andrei Cornea, Gabriel Liiceanu, Mircea Mihaies, Horia-Roman Patapievici, Andrei Plesu, Vladimir Tismaneanu si Traian Ungureanu author the initiative.
The initiators of the document argue: "Together with a significant part of the public, we are asking for a new Constitution. In other words, we want normality to reign over public power. We are demanding a referendum to decide on the form of the regime. We are asking for a Constitution to respect the sovereignty of people". According to the authors, Romania needs "a Constitution compatible to European values and Romania's international status, a Constitution to limit to the number of mandates and provide society with means to have control over the elected". The fundamental law they are pursuing is described as a means "to separate the powers clearly and guarantee fundamental rights".
And there is also an urge to dialogue: "We are therefore pleading for public debate on the new Constitution principles. No one has got the right to impose to Romanians, like it happened in the past, a Constitutional project elaborated behind shut doors. The New Constitution must be the outcome of public and collective efforts".

Anca Hriban
Ziua Miercuri 27 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Justice minister's new secret service

The SIPA (Independent Service for Protection and Anti-Corruption) is not extinct. It became the DPCMP (Department to Prevent Criminality in Prisons), a secret service plotted by Romania's ex Justice minister Monica Macovei, now serving the Liberal Justice minister.
The dismemberment of the SIPA was just a lie for the EU. Government Decision 127/ 2006 dismembering the former secret service wasn't carried out because the archive wasn't transferred to national security institutions. The archive is still in the headquarters of the National Administration of Prisons, just a few meters away from the office of the ex SIPA head Doru Dobocan. The latter is now head of the DPCMP, a department established when the SIPA was dismembered.
Given the minister's order in March 2007, Dobocan's department got 105 more officers, hired after "admission examination". The number of the new department's employees is identical to the number of SIPA employees. Dobocan told the ZIUA reporters that ex SIPA officers were admitted in his department, but he denied it was a secret service.
Tudor Chiuariu, Romania's minister of Justice, was the one supposed to see to the archive transfer and obedience to EU directives and he can make successful use of the new secret service. Dobocan provides the Liberal minister with daily information on the activity and results of the DPCMP. (...)

R.S.
Ziua Joi 28 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Foreign minister denies having been humiliated at US border

According to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania's foreign minister Adrian Cioroianu was not under security checks when entering or exiting the US. The institution denies the information in yesterday's ZIUA report. But ZIUA sources still claim the checks took place.
In June 15, 2007, Octavian Andronic authored an article in "Buna Ziua Brasov" providing the following information: "When entering the US territory, the foreign minister was under the standard checks used by immigration authorities: he took off his belt and shoes for the antiterrorist check, he was fingerprinted and they took a digital photo of him". Octavian Andronic told us presently: "This is the usual antiterrorist check. They asked Mircea Geoana too to take off his shoes and belt and they fingerprinted him when he was a foreign minister".
Romania's ex PM Adrian Nastase claims in his turn that the fingerprinting and photographing when a citizens enters the EU for the first time have become compulsory. (...)
US Embassy claims the same
In the press release elaborated yesterday the US Embassy in Bucharest emphasizes that the information claiming the Romanian minister wasn't appropriately welcomed at the US airport by US officials is completely false. There is mentioned that it is the obligation of US airport officials to use etiquette on all high level visitors to the US. In case of foreign official delegations, there is added, special procedures are used at check points to hurry up the entry.

D.E.
Ziua Miercuri 27 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

This saddening face called Romania

During the EU summit on the new constitutional treaty I felt as humiliated as I hadn't felt for a long time. Romania's participation was national shame, like sad supernumerary carrying Germany's dress train. It was embarrassingly impersonal. An embarrassing picture showing what actress Oana Pellea calls Romanica ('small Romania').
Humiliation was greater in contrast with Poland, a country turning from a satellite of the USSR into an elite player for acquiring status as great power, a transformation due to its integrity. We don't even seem to dream about getting such a status. We do nothing that can make Romania regain its international dignity and reach the players' desk.
The return to monarchy would be a guarantee. Had PM Tariceanu been His Majesty's PM, he wouldn't have allowed Romania to carry someone's dress train, even if it belonging to the first economic force in Europe. We could have made a tandem with Britain and chosen Euro-American solidarity.
The Brussels summit ended up with the adoption of a constitutional treaty full of aberration (such as the appointing of a foreign minister of Europe, the EU as juridical person of international law, elimination of the Beethoven hymn, which was the only compensation to Europeans' cowardliness to mention their fundamental Christian roots in the Constitution, the proclamation of socialism as state religion in the EU by eliminating the competition principle and more). And Romania agreed without setting conditions.
Romania's participation to this historical European reunion was so weak because those top politicians supposed to take responsibility and represent our country's interests in the EU honorably have been busy with lynching each other for two years and a half now instead of reaching consensus on Romania's interests. It is on the other hand true that PM Tariceanu had to counter President Basescu's offensive to dismember the National Liberal Party. But it is just that the PM could very well fight against the President and prepare a new international strategy for Romania as well. Unfortunately, nor Presidency nor the government took interest in it.
As for the President's intellectuals, they were useless too. They have been concerned about President Basescu's progress, but at all about a strategy for Romania. They have pursued at least one more mandate for the President. As for the governmental side, it seemed to care only about Tariceanu's score against Basescu. And the result of it was national self-goals during the EU constitution summit. And the two of them got along, which is surprising. What a sad consensus on Romania's subordinate status in Europe !
But we can't blame it just one the present irresponsible officials. Romania as the poor family relative reaching the EU court is the outcome of an undignified history.
Unfortunately, Romania is the only ex Communist European country not housing active civil society. It also is the only ex Communist Europe state where dissidence moves coordinated from within the Romanian Communist Party didn't take place. The hundred thousands of ex anti-Communist political detainees lived secluded or exiled. A handful of brave, dignified and very lonely people were protesting in the void. Because of enjoying no support, they were arrested or exiled.
Romania can't be compared to Poland, the Czech Republic or Hungary. Romania didn't shelter a move such as the "Solidarity", civic opposition such as the Czech Republic had or national riots such as in Hungary. Romania led a coward's life. And therefore Romanians have got the rulers and the results they deserve.

Roxana Iordache
Ziua Miercuri 27 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Marty's report and terrorists' laughter

By their attacks in September 11, 2001, the terrorists wanted to undermine US economy and leave the US, the country of freedom and human rights, with no choice but take drastic measures against terrorism in order to be accused of breaking citizens' liberties and human rights.
The Dick Marty report incriminating the alleged CIA detention centers in some European states shows the flawed immunity system of the Free World, which protects terrorism implicitly, by defending terrorists' right to be beneficiaries of rights typical of the Euro-American society which they aspire to annihilate.
When the Bush Administration adopted the Patriot Act, the law on the Western civilization's right to self-defense, the opponents in the West started protests comparable to the incredible stupidity or sometimes evil intentions of Western intellectuals who would support communism and praise the USSR during the Cold War, while vehemently stigmatizing the victims and witnesses of Communist crimes. Just like General Pacepa unveiled, behind the anti-American 'peacemaking' action there has been Moscow, from the beginning and up to now.
Dick Marty seems to be a new kind of anti-American Soviet commissioner. He misses no opportunity to accuse the US, although he admits he has got no evidence on the alleged CIA secret detention and torturing of prisoners ("No fuckin' evidence !"). Proves are needed to prolong the detention of terrorist suspects, and still US authorities can be accused without any evidence. Just like with the European allies, Romania one of them. The rapporteur even stated that anti-terrorist prisons were all the more groundless because ...no definition of terrorism was found !
The human being means nothing to terrorists. Human rights don't exist for them. Terrorists make use of the West to destroy the West and they use the American left to destroy America and the transatlantic alliance. In totalitarian Islamic states, people thought to have broken the Islamic law are punished in a barbaric manner, which illustrates the disdain for the human being (chopped parts of the body, torture and public execution together with the so-called killing for the honor's sake). I have never heard the Westerners defending human rights or the Americans leftists keen on protests against their own country ("blame America first") protesting against such primitive measures by Islamic extremists, which are inhuman and anti-human. Nor have I heard them protesting against the way women are treated as inferior beings. See the Abaya garment. And the stoning of women who dare get involved in romance forbidden by the Sharia, the Islamic rule. Coward Westerners don't incriminate such barbaric practices, still they feel no hesitation when criticizing the Christian Church - both the Catholic and the Orthodox - for opposing abortion and homosexual marriage. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch haven got a job in order to prove that protection of human rights means protection of criminals and, more recently, of terrorists.
And terrorists are making good use of such attitude. Ben Laden is satisfied. The gurus of terrorism are aware that the only chance to succeed is to make Europe and America split. They count on the silly thing called political correctness, something of Western-Gauchist and American-leftist origin. What a luck that Sarkozy is a pro-American !
The rightwing will probably be elected at the White House again. And Rudy Giuliani, the legendary mayor of New York in power in September 11, 2001, will consolidate the Euro-Atlantic alliance. Europe's split from America is the golden dream of terrorists.

Roxana Iordache
Ziua Marti 26 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Persisting flaws after 6 months of EU membership

The report monitoring Romania's progress with the Justice reform reached Radio France International two days before the official release due in June 27. According to the RFI information that Medifax Agency invokes, the European Commission thinks Romania has been making progress with Justice and the application of the safeguard clause is not recommended. The document mentions the progress the CSM (Superior Council of Magistracy) has been making as well as some concern about the efficiency of the newly established ANI (National Integrity Agency).
Progress made
The RFI claims in the report to be released tomorrow there is mentioned that in the first 6 months after accession Romania has been making progress to fix the weaknesses that could prevent the efficient use of European legislation and programmes. The document points there is need for much more time for Romania to prove that legislative progress means results in key areas. More care is also needed to handle all the adjacent measures so that there will be no tolerance as far as the fight against corruption is concerned. The document also reminds that, as decided, the European Commission is going to elaborate a report every 6 months and update it in the early 2008.
Doubt about the ANI's independence
According to the RFI Romania, the report has it that, generally speaking, Romania has been making some progress with the judiciary system reform. As for the making of the ANI, the European Commission mentions concern about the independence of this institution, supposed to work starting next October. The RFI claims the Commission's report points to doubt on the ANI's independence and efficiency in investigating and setting sanctions only partly settled by the amendments the government imposed by means of an emergency ordinance. The report warns that the governmental ordinance will be in force only until confirmed or changed by the Parliament. The conclusion is that Romania is to confirm the progress made by practical results.
Praise for DNA
According to the European Commission, the rigor in drawing criminal cases isn't reflected in court verdicts for the time being, as the country report describes the decision to appoint Daniel Morar to head the DNA (National Anti-Corruption Department) as having a negative impact on the fight against corruption. The document emphasizes that the information Bucharest authorities get on court sentences shows the sanctions are not dissuasive, just as it shows a very large number of suspended sanctions in high level corruption cases. There is demanded that it should be made clear. The RFI comments that such an aspect undermines the recent progress of investigations and harms the public perception of political commitment to fight against corruption.
And, the report adds, there are some recent events that may have negative impact on this fight: the changed status of bank fraud, the Parliament's intention to make criminal inquiries last less and the request that an important DNA official should be dismissed.
Lack of global strategy
The report reminds about precautionary measures in fields like health and education. And on the other hand there is highlighted the lack of a global strategy against corruption, based on an evaluation of risks concerning the most vulnerable areas of local administration. There is also mentioned the persisting concern about the political support for the continuation of important projects, such as the National Integrity Agency. But in general terms, the Commission estimates, progress has been made.

Geoge Damian
Ziua Marti 26 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Justice minister: Macovei is against national interest

While taking to the deputies in the juridical committee yesterday, the Romanian Justice minister Tudor Chiuariu was very critical of Monica Macovei, Romania's former Justice minister. He claimed the latter was having action against national interest by her initiative of sending reports criticizing the evolution in Romanian Justice in relation to he Initiative for Clean Justice.
"Monica Macovei wants to make them believe that only herself is able", Chiuariu told the committee, reminding about the National Integrity Agency too. "Macovei is having action against Romania's interests, she is coming up with reports", he added, thus mentioning last week's report by the Initiative for Clean Justice.
According to NewsIn, Liberal and Social-Democrat deputies agreed with the Justice minister, whereas the Democrats stood by Monica Macovei. Liberal Mihaita Calimete commented: "Just a few days before the release of the European Commission's report, she sent an unfavorable report to Brussels".
Critique of the ex Justice minister followed after minister Chiuariu demanded the MPs to have no more debate on the change of the Criminal Procedure Code and promised to come up with a new one by the next parliamentary term. "As I promised, I will come up with a new Code by autumn", Chiuariu mentioned, adding that a team of experts was working on a new normative document. But the Social-Democrat deputies dismissed the minister's proposal, claiming that the new Code could pass only in February 2008 and that the Macovei laws had to be corrected at once.

Andrei Ghiciusca
Ziua Marti 26 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Admission score for friends

The score political parties need to make it to the Parliament, 5% at present, may go down to 2% once the uninominal vote is settled. It is a project for which the Tariceanu Cabinet intends to take responsibility in the Parliament unless it passes on time. Such a change would allow parties like the PC (Conservative Party), the AP (Popular Alliance) or the PNTCD (National Christian-Democrat Party) to join the Parliament after the future elections.
According to Liberal Dan Motreanu, this is a proposal authored by the Pro Democracy Association and more organizations and it is aimed at helping small parties standing no chance to reach the Parliament. He also argues that a party with good candidates and with a good score in certain localities, but with a score lower than 5% at national level, risks failing to make it to the Parliament.
Ludovic Orban, a vice president of Romanian Liberals, announced yesterday that the Tariceanu Cabinet was going to take responsibility for it in the Parliament unless the project passed on time. He mentioned: "All the Liberal MPs are going to support the law draft on the uninominal vote. Unless adopted, the government will take responsibility for it after the parliamentary holiday"…)

Anca Hriban
Ziua Marti 26 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Foreign minister humiliated at US border

Romania's foreign minister Adrian Cioroianu was humiliated when entering the US. He had to take off his belt and shoes, as he wasn't treated like a high official in an official visit, but like some immigrant. He was fingerprinted, his retina was scanned and he was photographed for the record of the US interior security. ZIUA sources say the US officers asked minister Cioroianu about the purpose of his visit to the US and they were not impressed that it was about a high official.
The visit during which he behaved like a parrot started bad: he crossed the border with no shoes on just to say 'yes', 'sure' and 'thank you very much' in his dialogue with the US state secretary Condoleezza Rice.
Ilie Banica, a spokesman of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wouldn't answer ZIUA questions: Who was waiting for the minister at the US airport and where ? Was he under security checks ? What kind of checks were there ? The Ministry spokesman would make long pauses. He wouldn't answer when asked, although he accompanied minister Cioroianu in his visit to the US and he could see with his own eyes what was happening. The Ministry official asked us to email the questions so that he would reply 'as soon as possible'. (...)

George Damian
Ziua Marti 26 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Migrating health employees

According to the research authored by the Trade Unions Sanitary Solidarity Federation, two thirds of Romanian health employees say they feel attracted to jobs abroad. The main target of the research has been to evaluate the medical staff's comments of the quality their professional life enjoys.
According to data provided by the initiators, the health staff's tendency is to go abroad to get employment and attractive wages. Most of the questioned say it would be difficult to turn down such an offer. And 85,6% of them claim there are colleagues of their who are now employed abroad.
The information shows most employees of the Romanian health system are dissatisfied with the state of the sanitary system, 45,35% express such dissatisfaction and 51,7% are just partly dissatisfied with the reform results.
64% of the Romanian medical staff say that, as compared to 5 years ago, the state of the sanitary system hasn't changed and some even describe it was worse.
The main causes of health system difficulties consist in insufficient funds and bad management of existing funds. 52% of the people asked admit it. 19% believe that that political interference in the management of the health system is the major cause of the difficulties the system faces.

C. P.
Ziua Luni 25 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Stupidity rules

Romania has got the most stupid government it has ever had after 1989. When I say 'stupid', I mean 'stupid'! There were governments dominated by thieves, scoundrels, villains, braggers or traitors. But such a large amount of ridicule per 1 minister has never existed before! Given the hand the Social-Democrats give to keep the government down to earth, there is no God bestowed day without the noise made by the bricks minister drop !
Minister Cioroianu is a symbol of this funny government. The pantomime he played at the White House in front of the US press is memorable and it will remain so. The foreign minister made a fool of himself one more time when boasting about arranging a charter to take the Romanians in Gaza back home, although the respective Romanians were lost in Palestine.
Cioroianu's haughtiness and the self-confidence he displays when looking you in the eyes and dropping a brick are no exception in the Tariceanu Cabinet. Take minister Remes, for instance. "I don't care !" he yelled when asked to comment on the messy situation of the National Office for Land Improvement. Is it right to give such an answer when Romania is facing drought and lack of irrigation ? It 's just like what the Transylvanian says when he sees a giraffe: such a thing ain't exist ! And still ! There is nothing that can trouble the agriculture minister. His mind is as untroubled as a toddler's mind. This is why he said there would follow no price raise because of the drought. But in a country where market economy is just a concept and any pretext is good for price raising? This reminds me of his boss, Tariceanu, of the time when he was a minister of industry and the Democratic Convention was in power. He announced the gas price raise, but screamed at journalists when they estimated the usual chain price raise, especially for basic products. "What does the gas price have to do with the price of bread ?" the future PM of this comical government asked enraged.
And still minister Chiuariu, that young chap most gifted as expression of Romanian brashness, is brasher than Traian Remes and Cioroianu together. This frowning minister of Justice has got no hesitation to rebuke Reuters Agency, this so British stiff institution, for daring to call Romania by its name: the most corrupted state in the EU.
And age hasn't unfortunately got anything to do with ridiculousness. Teodor Melescanu says naughty things to have something to deny later. He didn't invite Russia to have common military moves with the Americans in Romania, it was the France Presse who misunderstood it. When replying, Moscow didn't get stuck in details and was neither impressed by the flattery. Moscow just mocked the minister smoking American cigar and sheltering outdated pro-Russian ideas.
As for minister of Education Adomnitei, he is a laughing stock even for children. But that scene with the haughty minister explaining to pre-adolescents how many stars there where on the EU flag does unjustly shade his true achievements. Minister Adomnitei announced the launch of the programme against violence in schools. The reporter asked him for details. Apart from debates, good conduct classes and preaching, there is one practical measure: the building of fences around all schools.
I wouldn't want to end my editorial without mentioning minister Nicolaescu, an official defying the disaster ZIUA is celebrating in today's front page. His brashness is unique. The greater the disaster in the Romanian health system, the more the minister insists reform is making progress. No disaster is great enough. The plague reigning during the epoch of Caragea would have been presented as a stage necessary to the reform.
We have got the most stupid and ridiculous government. But stupidity is not a flaw in Romania. On the contrary, the most stupid government is also the most stable. They are under no threat. Laws don't work, not even those in physics. Let me quote someone: this is an imponderable government. No one is supporting the government, still the government isn't collapsing !

Adrian Patrusca
Ziua Luni 25 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Vacuum cleaning wife

Shortly after the Liberals took over, a company belonging to the wife of Romanian health minister Eugen Nicolaescu won the auction for a pre-campaign on the Rural Development Project. The obscure company called "Conen Consulting" with Costanta Nicolaescu as main shareowner got 1,24 billion ROL (almost $ 40,000) from the state budget.
Still the money isn't much as compared to other business. The contract signed with the Interior Ministry is as immoral as possible because when the deal was made Nicolaescu's party was in power. In an almost identical case, the Da Vinci affair, Social-Democrat minister Hildegard Puwak resigned.
And apart from the above-mentioned company, the Nicolaescu couple owns two more. And all the three companies have got debts to pay to the state budget. The 'minister of death' didn't tell his wife that he was a shareowner of the Agerr Solutions Company. Constanta Nicolaescu learnt from ZIUA about her husband's involvement in the latter company.

George Tarata
Ziua Luni 25 Iunie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english