No one has dared modify the Constitution substantially because they and their party may at a certain moment take advantage of the flaws not settled or changed just superficially. PM Calin-Popescu Tariceanu has taken action aiming at a radical modification of the Constitution. Behind his initiative there are sure to be political reasons related to the wish to kick Traian Basescu out of the political stage and lead the PD (Democrat Party) to the poor state it was in when the PNL (National Liberal Party) gave it a hand in 2004. But a substantial modification of the Constitution is a matter of principle, regardless of people and circumstances.
The war between Cotroceni Palace and Victoria Palace is but the repeatable consequence of an utterly constitutional flaw: the half-presidential status of our dear republic. As long as the head of state is the beneficiary of executive prerogatives, even if they are the minimum ones, he will devour or at least harass prime-ministers, no matter the names of the protagonists and the parties they come from. If we want to go on like this, we can keep the Constitution unchanged. The PD and the PRM (Greater Romania Party) want it. As for the Social-Democrats, they don't really know what they want any more. In case we want to change things, do away with the reasons for the endless dispute between the President and the PM and acquire European democracy, the fundamental law must be modified.
Since we are careless about constitutional monarchy, then we should choose either a parliamentary republic or a presidential one and give up the hybrid form now in use, involving an unclear status for the President and a PM playing the black sheep. Except for France and Russia (to the extent to which the latter is geographically part of Europe), the European states are either constitutional monarchies or parliamentary republics. Such forms of state provide the President with attributions to represent the country at international level. As for the domestic level, he/ she is supposed to be a moral, not a political point of reference, since he/she has got no executive power, which is for the PM only to see to. It is the prime-minister that electors elect. The head of state is either the King or the President elected by the Parliament.
Such a system would make Romanians understand whom they vote for in order to serve them and report to them, not only to speak up against those in charge of governing the country. President Basescu has made use of this constitutional flaw, he has given everyone, from the PM to the caretaker, precious directions and he is very good at pointing to the government. But he has got no responsibility. He may be irresponsible, constitutionally speaking. According to the Constitution in force, the President's only responsibility is to pretend. As for the Democrats, they want things to change, but stay the same ! The only thing they take interest in is to give the President some more executive attributions, so that he may dismiss the PM and dissolve the Parliament. The Democrats actually want the Constitution to specify the President's right to make the pell mell official. They aren't fond of the parliamentary republic. They don't say why, but this is because the inflatable party would thus deflate.
The PNL has pleaded for a parliamentary republic, for specific attributions to be settled for the two Chambers and for the number of MPs to be cut to a half of as many as they are now. Romania needs a parliamentary system. Unless the Constitution is changed to mention precise attributions and rights for the MPs, the uninominal vote will remain just a phrase. The Constitution should also forbid political migration or the migrating politicians should be expelled from the Parliament. The response the Liberal initiative will get will show as clear as daylight who wants to be in Europe and who wants to be in Asia.
Roxana Iordache
Ziua Luni 3 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Monday, September 03, 2007
Liberals want Parliament to elect President
Romanian Liberals are now pleading that Romania needs to become a parliamentary republic instead of a half-presidential one. They claim this regime is wrong because it is unacceptable that a small group of people or one single person should hold all power. The reform of the constitutional system approached by the Democrat Party these was also reloaded by the National Liberal Party last Saturday, during the Summer School of the Liberal Youth.(...)
Ovidiu Banches, Razvan Gheorghe & D.I.
Ziua Luni 3 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Boc hatches increased powers for the president
PD (Democrat Party) president, Emil Boc, wants that the introduction of the uninominal voting be followed by the set up, in 2008, of a committee for the constitutional reform. The Democrat leader has restated his party's proposition to increase the presidential prerogatives, on the model of France.
In essence, the PD project contains five points regarding the president's attributions. First of all, Boc wants that the president has the unconditional right to appoint the PM, as well as the right to dissolve the inferior Chamber after having consulted its spokesperson. Also, the terms of the president's taking part in the Government's meetings should be changed so that he gets the right to chair and sign the documents adopted at those meetings. In exceptional circumstances, war or natural calamities, the president might act as a republican dictator who can rule the state without any prior agreement or immediately after of the Parliament. In the fifth place, there shouldn't be any limitation of the referendum so that the population may pronounce on some bills initiated by the president. In parallel, the Government should be restricted the right to adopt emergency ordinances only for exceptional circumstances. "We have a regime that looks like an ostrich-camel, and this must stop", Boc added. He also said that PD would back up a quick voting of the Law on the uninominal voting in Pro Democratia's version. Boc's position is not a "dissidence" towards the president, who supports the uninominal in voting ballots, as hew admitted Basescu's idea was a better one. (...)
Adrian Ilie
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
In essence, the PD project contains five points regarding the president's attributions. First of all, Boc wants that the president has the unconditional right to appoint the PM, as well as the right to dissolve the inferior Chamber after having consulted its spokesperson. Also, the terms of the president's taking part in the Government's meetings should be changed so that he gets the right to chair and sign the documents adopted at those meetings. In exceptional circumstances, war or natural calamities, the president might act as a republican dictator who can rule the state without any prior agreement or immediately after of the Parliament. In the fifth place, there shouldn't be any limitation of the referendum so that the population may pronounce on some bills initiated by the president. In parallel, the Government should be restricted the right to adopt emergency ordinances only for exceptional circumstances. "We have a regime that looks like an ostrich-camel, and this must stop", Boc added. He also said that PD would back up a quick voting of the Law on the uninominal voting in Pro Democratia's version. Boc's position is not a "dissidence" towards the president, who supports the uninominal in voting ballots, as hew admitted Basescu's idea was a better one. (...)
Adrian Ilie
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Liberals, in search for their future
Adrian Iorgulescu and Varujan Vosganian have raised the problem of the PNL ideological future at the Summer school of the Liberal Youth. If Vosganian believes that the success if the EU integration imposes a rethinking of the PNL doctrine, Iorgulescu, in exchange, pleads for a unalterable maintaining of the current doctrine the way it had been conceived by the Bratianu family.
Starting from the premise hat the community acquis contains all the Liberal basic values, Vosganian said that the success of the integration has left the Liberalism without objectives. "We haven't defined yet a PNL post-integration ideology. In Europe, Liberalism is an organic element of the common people", the minister said. Consequently, Vosganian pleads for integrating into the Liberalism of some elements that are specific to other right-wing doctrines, such as Christian-democracy and conservatism. The minister explained that the abstract individualism that has been promoted so far might lead to an estrangement from the electorate.
In exchange, Adrian Iorgulescu believes that it is dangerous to give up classical Liberalism as this would help PD (Democrat Party) to push PNL toward the political left, and thus the Democrats would assume the role of the sole right-wing party. "The electoral chunk is on the right side. The battle is for the right side and PNL should stay there at any costs", said Iorgulescu. Otherwise, the Liberals would give up one of their best cards they have before the Democrats, and that is the consistency in doctrine. "Along the 133 years of tradition, we've always faced up with the challenges of the present", he concluded.
Adrian Ilie
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Liar ruler from Chishinau and blockhead subprefects from Bucharest
No matter what Vladimir Voronin does, he always manages to put his foot in it. One of his anthological come outs was the one when he said Jesus Christ belonged to the communists' party. Some other time he sympathized with those who ask for meat croquettes and are being discriminated by when they are given mincemeat balls. All in all, Vladimir Voronin broke loose from all control.
Voronin's latest come out of this kind was last week, when he ruffled again towards Romania, by saying that he had never promised he would open two new Romanian consulates ! News agencies, radio stations and journalists have rushed to browse through their audio archive. Surprise ! Voronin did say he would immediately order the opening of two new consulates on the left bank of Prut River. That is another lie to score ! There are hard times nowadays, with so many voice recorders and news agencies, of which many are so disobedient...
Voronin has another problem - and it terribly looks like the one the greedy noblemen in the Middle Age, whose poor peasants ran like peasant from their estates. The million of applications for Romanian citizenship have indicated the true attachment of the people from the left bank of Prut River to the cause of belonging to the Republic of Moldova. The communists have been generous in sponsoring pseudo-historians and pseudo-linguists, as Romania still represents an attraction. We would be naive to believe that Bessarabyan people come to Romania to speak Romanian. They come here to earn money, and the fact that they can speak Romanian makes them successful. Even the communists from Chishinau do their best businesses also in Bucharest, directly or by mediators. Voronin would like that only those with a high level of ideological background come to Bucharest, that is the ones able to distinguish between the language spoken in the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian language, between the tasty meat croquettes (parjoala, as it is called in Moldova) and the oppressive mincemeat ball (chiftea, as it is called in Romanian). Each Bessarabyan individual that crosses the Prut River self-willed, in accordance with the freedom of movement principle, constitutes a blow taken by the Voronin regime.
Each student that graduates a faculty in Romania becomes a "class enemy" for Voronin's communists. If he could, Voronin would put barbed wire at the border and would completely forbid the crossing of the river - the way Ceausescu did to protected the Romanians from the decadent West, thus keeping them prisoners in their own country.
Unfortunately, prince Voronin receives an unhoped for help from the blockhead subprefects from Bucharest. The visa scandal is part of the concert of anti-Romanian measures the communists and Voronin's secret advisors have planned. The blockhead subprefects from Bucharest have just fallen into the trap like dolts. Now it's high time that visas were delivered for a longer period, of four to five years, with multiple entries. The Romanians from the left bank of Prut River who want to come to Romania, be it only for a better living, must benefit of this right. Voronin showed too many times he would die suffocated if he uttered the sentence "I speak in the Romanian language". We need no more proofs in this respect. Given the circumstances, to go further on the option of opening two new consulates at Cahul and Balti is completely idiotic. Ten trucks full of requests for opening these consulates can be sent to Chishinau; they would be treated as waste sheets. The simplest and most efficacious option is to modify the system of granting visas, that is on three to five years, with multiple entries. One more thing ! The law on the recognition of the Romanian citizenship for the Bessarabyan people should finally be amended in the same way, i.e. in the simplest version. That supposes any court in the country can do it, and thus the million of applications won't stuff the three judges in Bucharest any longer. And Voronin should be left at Chishinau, to speak the "Moldovan" until it sets his teeth on edge...
George Damian
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Voronin's latest come out of this kind was last week, when he ruffled again towards Romania, by saying that he had never promised he would open two new Romanian consulates ! News agencies, radio stations and journalists have rushed to browse through their audio archive. Surprise ! Voronin did say he would immediately order the opening of two new consulates on the left bank of Prut River. That is another lie to score ! There are hard times nowadays, with so many voice recorders and news agencies, of which many are so disobedient...
Voronin has another problem - and it terribly looks like the one the greedy noblemen in the Middle Age, whose poor peasants ran like peasant from their estates. The million of applications for Romanian citizenship have indicated the true attachment of the people from the left bank of Prut River to the cause of belonging to the Republic of Moldova. The communists have been generous in sponsoring pseudo-historians and pseudo-linguists, as Romania still represents an attraction. We would be naive to believe that Bessarabyan people come to Romania to speak Romanian. They come here to earn money, and the fact that they can speak Romanian makes them successful. Even the communists from Chishinau do their best businesses also in Bucharest, directly or by mediators. Voronin would like that only those with a high level of ideological background come to Bucharest, that is the ones able to distinguish between the language spoken in the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian language, between the tasty meat croquettes (parjoala, as it is called in Moldova) and the oppressive mincemeat ball (chiftea, as it is called in Romanian). Each Bessarabyan individual that crosses the Prut River self-willed, in accordance with the freedom of movement principle, constitutes a blow taken by the Voronin regime.
Each student that graduates a faculty in Romania becomes a "class enemy" for Voronin's communists. If he could, Voronin would put barbed wire at the border and would completely forbid the crossing of the river - the way Ceausescu did to protected the Romanians from the decadent West, thus keeping them prisoners in their own country.
Unfortunately, prince Voronin receives an unhoped for help from the blockhead subprefects from Bucharest. The visa scandal is part of the concert of anti-Romanian measures the communists and Voronin's secret advisors have planned. The blockhead subprefects from Bucharest have just fallen into the trap like dolts. Now it's high time that visas were delivered for a longer period, of four to five years, with multiple entries. The Romanians from the left bank of Prut River who want to come to Romania, be it only for a better living, must benefit of this right. Voronin showed too many times he would die suffocated if he uttered the sentence "I speak in the Romanian language". We need no more proofs in this respect. Given the circumstances, to go further on the option of opening two new consulates at Cahul and Balti is completely idiotic. Ten trucks full of requests for opening these consulates can be sent to Chishinau; they would be treated as waste sheets. The simplest and most efficacious option is to modify the system of granting visas, that is on three to five years, with multiple entries. One more thing ! The law on the recognition of the Romanian citizenship for the Bessarabyan people should finally be amended in the same way, i.e. in the simplest version. That supposes any court in the country can do it, and thus the million of applications won't stuff the three judges in Bucharest any longer. And Voronin should be left at Chishinau, to speak the "Moldovan" until it sets his teeth on edge...
George Damian
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Friday, August 31, 2007
Falling into derisory
The referendum Basescu is blackmailing the Parliament with is a false project. We shall see why. The elections for the EU are useless. We'll resume, showing the reasons. It is a dangerous solution, and also useless, to draw out of the game the institutes for market research in the electoral campaign. The same as the vote of censure that PSD (Social-Democrat Party) is about to initiate is nothing but a phantom that leads the sole left-wing party to a blind alley. It has been demonstrated why. All in all, this political fall appears to be a breakdown into derisory, the main responsible for it being no other than the head of state himself.
Why do I say blackmail ? Well, it's because Traian Basescu insists in confiscating from the legislative body the right to elaborate a solid piece of legislation, for the long run, and of a nature to produce its favourable effects to the reforming of the political class. What does the President want ? He wants to overlap a referendum for the uninominal voting to the electoral campaign for the EU Parliament, which constitutes an important test for the future local and parliamentary elections. The simple fact is immoral and not recommended by the EU. On the contrary. However, why does he do it ? It's simply because he wants to have the chance, in his position as the head of state, to talk nineteen to the dozen during the electoral campaign. By violating the Constitution and using the public funds meant not for political struggle, but to the fulfillment of the job description, he tries to intervene in force and to be favourable to one side or the other in the political life. That's all. As for the rest, admitting a referendum was organized and the President was successful, this would mean nothing from the viewpoint of reforming the political class. It is because even chickens know that, according to the Constitution, the referendum only means a positive or negative answer to a question. Its result, supposing it is a positive one, is not a substitute for a piece of legislation. A law would be promoted and adopted only later, and based on the results to this referendum. Who is to do that ? The Parliament that Basescu is blackmailing and which is against Basescu ? It is quite obvious that, unless they have got completely mad, the Romanians won't have the future elections based on the uninominal voting system. And it wouldn't be a good idea, because the parties need a relatively long period to prepare new offers for the deputies and senators. It is about a new generation, with a different background and mentality. Otherwise, in a hocus-pocus system, they can't get out from the hat something different from what it is. This way the population, being forced to choose among what can be found on the market, will eventually nominate a Parliament similar to the current one. The elections for the EU are as useless this year as the possible referendum that, by the way, the Government might avoid eventually and assume responsibility for a law that, by all means, will not coincide with the one emerged from the laboratory in Cotroceni Palace. Who will rush to go into the EU Parliament, being aware that excessive amounts of money from the state budget and also from one's own pocket will be spent on a nine-month mandate ? That's because we'll have new European Parliamentary members in January 2009. Irresponsible politicians only want to waste public money, the stakes being their mean gambolling. And taking out of the game the institutes of market research is an even bigger non-sense. It might be simpler to set up an authority subordinated to the Parliament - a kind of CNA (National Council for Audiovisual) - empowered to deliver or withdraw their license, and to check on their honesty and professionalism. We don't kill the women for few prostitutes.
Under the circumstances that the main mission of the head of state, that of a representative of Romania in the European and world concerto of states, cannot be fulfilled any longer because, as you can see, no one is willing to invite Basescu and under the circumstances in which, as an effect of the domestic quarrel, neither Tariceanu has to shake too many hands, the highest representatives of the politics in Bucharest take part in electoral canonization and in endless scandals and petty maneuvers. What a disgrace !
Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Why do I say blackmail ? Well, it's because Traian Basescu insists in confiscating from the legislative body the right to elaborate a solid piece of legislation, for the long run, and of a nature to produce its favourable effects to the reforming of the political class. What does the President want ? He wants to overlap a referendum for the uninominal voting to the electoral campaign for the EU Parliament, which constitutes an important test for the future local and parliamentary elections. The simple fact is immoral and not recommended by the EU. On the contrary. However, why does he do it ? It's simply because he wants to have the chance, in his position as the head of state, to talk nineteen to the dozen during the electoral campaign. By violating the Constitution and using the public funds meant not for political struggle, but to the fulfillment of the job description, he tries to intervene in force and to be favourable to one side or the other in the political life. That's all. As for the rest, admitting a referendum was organized and the President was successful, this would mean nothing from the viewpoint of reforming the political class. It is because even chickens know that, according to the Constitution, the referendum only means a positive or negative answer to a question. Its result, supposing it is a positive one, is not a substitute for a piece of legislation. A law would be promoted and adopted only later, and based on the results to this referendum. Who is to do that ? The Parliament that Basescu is blackmailing and which is against Basescu ? It is quite obvious that, unless they have got completely mad, the Romanians won't have the future elections based on the uninominal voting system. And it wouldn't be a good idea, because the parties need a relatively long period to prepare new offers for the deputies and senators. It is about a new generation, with a different background and mentality. Otherwise, in a hocus-pocus system, they can't get out from the hat something different from what it is. This way the population, being forced to choose among what can be found on the market, will eventually nominate a Parliament similar to the current one. The elections for the EU are as useless this year as the possible referendum that, by the way, the Government might avoid eventually and assume responsibility for a law that, by all means, will not coincide with the one emerged from the laboratory in Cotroceni Palace. Who will rush to go into the EU Parliament, being aware that excessive amounts of money from the state budget and also from one's own pocket will be spent on a nine-month mandate ? That's because we'll have new European Parliamentary members in January 2009. Irresponsible politicians only want to waste public money, the stakes being their mean gambolling. And taking out of the game the institutes of market research is an even bigger non-sense. It might be simpler to set up an authority subordinated to the Parliament - a kind of CNA (National Council for Audiovisual) - empowered to deliver or withdraw their license, and to check on their honesty and professionalism. We don't kill the women for few prostitutes.
Under the circumstances that the main mission of the head of state, that of a representative of Romania in the European and world concerto of states, cannot be fulfilled any longer because, as you can see, no one is willing to invite Basescu and under the circumstances in which, as an effect of the domestic quarrel, neither Tariceanu has to shake too many hands, the highest representatives of the politics in Bucharest take part in electoral canonization and in endless scandals and petty maneuvers. What a disgrace !
Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
PD loses points
If Euro-elections were to take place next Sunday, PD (Democrat Party) would get 34% of the Romanians' votes, by eight points less than in July (42.6%), according to a poll made by the Company of Sociological Research and Branding (CCSB) in 3-15 August. According to this study, PD is followed in the top of the voting intent by PSD (Social-Democrat Party) - 19%, PNL (National Liberal Party) - 17% (increasing by almost four points as compared to July), PNG (New Generation Party) - 8% and PRM (Greater Romania Party) - 5%. PC (Conservative Party) and UDMR (Democratic Union of the Magyars in Romania) are placed right below the electoral threshold, with 4%. As far as the elections for the Romanian Parliament are concerned, the voting intent places PD on top with 35%, followed by PNL -18%, PSD -17%, PNGCD (New Generation Party - Christian Democratic) - 9%, PRM - 5%, PC - 4%, UDMR - 4%. As for the confidence in politicians, President Traian Basescu is on the first place, with 58%, followed by Gigi Becali (New Generation Party) - 35%, Sorin Oprescu (Social-Democrat Party) - 31%, Theodor Stolojan (National Liberal Democratic Party) - 30%, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu - 28%, Emil Boc - 26%, Mircea Geoana - 26%. The study, ordered by Antena 1 TV station, is representative at national level, and has been carried out on a population sample of 1021 individuals with right to vote, the tolerated error being of plus/minus 3%.
R.I.P.
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
R.I.P.
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Melescanu evaluates PSD vote of censure
PNL (National Liberal Party) vice-president Teodor Melescanu stated yesterday at the TNL (National Liberal Youth) Summer School at Costinesti that, speaking of the vote of censure they've announced, the Social Democrats have two options: "either they get into a mess, or they make a fool of themselves". Melescanu claimed there are good chances that this vote of censure doesn't pass. When one of the young Liberals asked him about the PSD vote of censure, Melescanu explained that it represents a constitutional procedure that any party in opposition has the right to make use of. "However, I consider that a vote of censure must be of a serious nature. It must also have a credible motivation. In fact, I don't know what this Government is being reproached because it's been only five months since it has been functioning", the Liberal vice-president said, as quoted by Mediafax. He ironically added that he expects the PD (Democrat Party) representatives to "oppose vehemently such a vote of censure". He also said the Liberals would go "their head up" into the Parliament, the vote of censure being a good opportunity for the Executive to sum up. As far as PSD is concerned, Melescanu claimed that Mircea Geoana's party finds itself in a very difficult position. (...)
Razvan Gheorghe
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Razvan Gheorghe
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Electoral campaign for PD on public money
Traian Basescu cannot surpass his condition as a PD (Democrat Party) leader. It's not only that it doesn't manage to, albeit he doesn't even try to be the president of all Romanians. He keeps on attacking all the parliamentary parties, except for the Democrat Party. He keeps on expressing publicly as if he weren't the head of the state, but a ship commander stopped over in a market or whorehouses. It is even more serous the fact that he does it in the international relations as well, with the sole counterpart he still has a dialogue, be it a conflictual one, and be it at a distance. It is about the President of the Republic of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin. What comes out is but mutual profanities. Oh, sweet Romania.
As a matter of fact, it's been two months now since president Basescu has been on holiday. He moved his work office at Neptun, in Ceausescu's villa, after having halted to the villas Ceausescu used to go to, in Covasna and Harghita. Moreover, he asked the Government that a certain protocol villa was not to be privatized, but to be at his disposal. If, against all reason, PM Tariceanu or any other politician from any other political party had expressed such a request, the Cotroceni Palace and the PD would have winced as if lashed. However, the president of the country can afford everything. He is more equal than everybody.
Whenever he doers not want others where he is and what he is doing, no one knows where he is and what he is doing. Whenever it is reported where he is and the press goes there to relate about what he is doing, Basescu appears to be hit in his private life. He especially lets the journalists know so as to offer his usual public representations against the press. But, as the American say, two are needed for doing that. If the press ignored him, the tenant at Cotroceni Palace would give up putting on frills. And he would probably give up the position, as the people forgot him. President Basescu, without a media exposure ? As Moromete would have said, such a thing does not exist.
The Romanian press cannot afford such an embargo. It is a vicious circle. The TV stations broadcast live every presidential sneeze, the written press takes it over and comments upon it, be it highly, or critically, and sometimes they even analyze it. Why has the president sneezed ? If it is about an allergy, he must be taken to the Liberal cat, as it always falls upright. It is what will happen at the next vote of censure, in case it is initiated. Anyway, the Cotroceni Palace and PD are treating the matter as a challenge: ok, let's see, do you have the guts to initiate it ?
It is as if president Basescu had been in such a cool blood after the suspension procedure to resign. It's the head of state himself who has created the precedent of changing one's mind, before PSD. If he hadn't kept his word, why would PSD do so ? Only because PD wants to remove PNL (National Liberal Party) ? Actually, PD does not want to get in power now, as it would break its neck in a year. It prefers early elections. On the other hand, PSD (Social Democrat Party) might want to be in power, and try to reverse the public opinion from the conviction that Government Tariceanu has increased the pensions. However, it can't, as it would only be used and thrown overboard.
President Basescu deals with the idea of the vote of censure with a parti pris and in a sabotaging way. He expresses his skepticism about the implementation of the procedure, invoking the cliché that PSD would collaborate with PNL. He does that in an attempt to make the public opinion forget that PD is the one collaborating with PSD, for instance when the SRI director has to be assigned the former head of the Parliamentary Committee for National Defense as he had dealt with classified files.
Another presidential diversion is the uninominal voting, of which the population has no idea what it means. Almost provoking a collective orgasm in the PD women's organization, president Basescu has threatened he would introduce a referendum simultaneously with the Europarliamentary elections, as if the decision wasn't to get to the Parliament anyway. Basescu actually wants to campaign for PD on public money. That is all.
Roxana Iordache
Ziua Joi 30 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Geoana attacks CNSAS
Mircea Geoana wants that the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) access to the files of the BOR (Romanian Orthodox Church) representatives be restricted, being decided to initiate a legislative project in this respect. The PSD (Social-Democrat Party) leader stated yesterday that he wishes to protect the Orthodox Church against the dirty assaults that have been launched lately, meant to besmear a national symbol. Several CNSAS members have rejected the idea from the very beginning, by considering it an electoral move.
The Social-Democrat leader hurried to defend the high clergy, whose files CNSAS has begun to check up, and wants that this check up be stopped. (...) The PSD chairman criticized the fact that dirty weapons are being used in the campaign for the election of the new Patriarch and he asked for their condemnation. Geoana spoke about political scheme, which high clerks are subject to, and asked the political class to stop the assaults against the Church. Moreover, Mircea Geoana appreciated that the Church defended, during the communist regime, the interests of the Romanian people.
Naive child
Mircea Dinescu amused himself when he heard the proposition of the PSD leader Mircea Geoana, and characterized him as a "naive child, who believes the people love the priests". Dinescu said he perceived the Social-Democrat leader as a gesture for the electoral campaign. He mentioned that other social categories could also ask for their being outlawed and that is why he considers Mircea Geoana's proposition as a discriminatory one. Sources inside CNSAS told us there were signs inside CNSAS that PSD was preparing such a project to increase in polls. They told us that no matter what the Social Democrats would do, the process the College have begun on the checking up of some high clerks cannot be stopped now.
Electoral gesture
Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu expressed his surprise about Mircea Geoana's intervention and he only considers it an electoral gesture. "If this matter caused him pain, he should have thought of it when the CNSAS law was voted. He is not doing a good turn to the Church; on the contrary, he might do a good turn to some people holding some positions within its hierarchy. I'm afraid that it's other people's turn tomorrow, of other social categories, who had signed a pact with the Securitate (former communist secret police), and other party leaders might ask us to outlaw them", said Ticu Dumitrescu. He pointed out that if this approach is carried out, no one knows what the CNSAS role is any longer. However, Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu added that the MPs are sovereign and it is on them to decide on the modification of the law on the functioning of the CNSAS.
Cristian Andrei
Ziua Joi 30 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
APD: President, predictable
Chairman of Pro Democratia Association (APD) Cristian Parvulescu appreciates that the uninominal two-round voting system, preferred by the head of state, is not opposed to that proposed by APD, the announcement Traian Basescu made on Tuesday being a predictable one. "The president's announcement doesn't surprise me. Traian Basescu was predictable. In fact, I don't consider the president's gesture was an unfriendly one, on the contrary, I take it strictly as an invitation for the parliamentary parties to finish the work they have begun", stated Parvulescu, as quoted by Mediafax. He supported his theory invoking the reason why Basescu announced that he would choose the alternative in two rounds for the introduction of the uninominal voting, as it is the easiest to explain to the population. Parvulescu said that the head of state in not in opposition with the principles of the ADP project.
R.I.P.
Ziua Joi 30 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Basescu's help
A villa stolen by a buddy of President Traian Basescu's is now the central headquarters of the PLD (Liberal Democrat Party). The house on 148 Vasile Lascar Street in the center of Bucharest was also used by the President when he was campaigning before the referendum meant to get him suspended.
Razvan Toader, the man who made the villa available to the PLD and the head of state, is a character close to Traian Basescu. At the time the latter was a general mayor of Bucharest, Razvan Toader was a general secretary of the City Hall. He was suspected of involvement in some fishy real estate business.
One of the transactions casting suspicion is the villa at stake. Razvan Toader's mother got to own it by means of several faked documents. The lawful owner addressed Justice and he is now trying to get it back.
But Theodor Stolojan's Liberal-Democrats don't seem to worry about the uncertain status of the house now sheltering their central headquarters. Furthermore, the 'presidential party' is getting ready to make Razvan Toader one of its parliamentarians. This is how the ex general secretary in the Bucharest City will be paid in exchange for the insignificant money he gains by renting the villa in the center of Bucharest. (...)
M.G.
Ziua Marti 28 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Iliescu laundered completely
"The record of Ion Iliescu did not exist or it was cleaned", said yesterday Dorin Dobrincu, a head of the National Archives. It is to be reminded that before 1989 the ex President of Romania was a secretary of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, a vice president of the district council in Timis (in 1971-1974) and also a president of the district council in Iasi (1974-1979).
The CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) reached a decision favorable to Ion Iliescu, mentioning they had no record on his name from the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania). Still both the President of Romania Traian Basescu and the Marius Oprea, a president of the Institute for Investigations on Communist Crimes, expressed opinion that there must be a record of Ion Iliescu as member of the Romanian Communist Party. "It is hard for me to think there are no records of the former regime's officials", President Basescu commented, adding that each member of the Communist staff used to have a record, just like "any of us has probably got a record in the company he/she works for".
Marius Oprea explained one year ago that, given the CNSAS law, Ion Iliescu would probably be declared not to have collaborated with the ex Securitate, which was bewildering, since "some ordinary informer must get under public rebuke". According to Marius Oprea, during the Communist regime Ion Iliescu, a first secretary of the Communist Party in Iasi, would give permission to the ex Securitate to recruit informers. Marius Oprea also claimed Ion Iliescu would decide that certain party members, undesirable to the ex Securitate, should be watched or have their homes bugged.
C.A.
Ziua Marti 28 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
The code of honor in Bucharest
According to the Bushido, the code of behaviour and the philosophy of life preparing the samurai for a dignified death, the most important moment of his tragic destiny, the sword must be unsheathed on one single purpose: to kill the adversary. The legends on the samurai stigmatize the attitude of braggers who wave their swords to and fro to announce a fight they never get to fight. The samurai is supposed to utter as few words as possible and, above all, not to threaten his adversary. Such threat is thought to be useless, as long as the samurai's silent and determined presence signifies much more than words can tell. The samurai is the sword itself, they are one and the same being, he expresses the sword and stands for its power. They say that, just as the blade of any samurai sword is something that lives on the blood of killed enemies, but speaks only by killing, the true samurai has got to tell no more than what he tells by his decision to fight.
The opposite of such a code of honor is a totally different philosophy of life and a completely different type of behaviour: the one in use at the Gates of the Orient, where everything, honor included, is mocked. The direct effect of this historical tradition is that no one takes us too seriously, even when words announce that the sword, if there is one and if it is made of steel, could be unsheathed.
Everyone should have been breathless when President Traian Basescu announced ceremonially that this was it, the Moldovan Republic authorities pushed it too far and Romania would give a tough response. The President of Romania said the country was facing a challenge and it would give a response fit for such severe deeds. What did there follow ? God forbid it, no one fancied drums announcing war ! But one expected at least some classical diplomacy action or the Moldovan ambassador to be summoned and demonstratively rebuked in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since there was the evidence Basescu relied on when mentioning the respective challenge. Or we thought that our experts in security and communication systems would at least show up to prove that the intercepting of those phone calls the Chishinau authorities were mentioning were just a cheap fake. But did anyone say a thing ?
Yes, they did. But it was not our officials who said it, it was still Voronin. He has made use of Romania's lack of response after the presidential snarl given when the President was on a leave by the seaside, Voronin has started aggressive offense. It is just like when he explained to the European Union why he didn't need Basescu's offer to help the Moldovan Republic progress on the European way, since he had other partners. Now he is accusing Romania of making a pact with the devil and he is claiming that, since we are anyway talking about challenges, the Romanian side is guilty of financing the unionist move.
And, tough as they are when it comes to mockery, out fighters are keeping silent, which they take for dignified and honorable. They are pretending to know nothing, allowing an unprecedented wave of insults to flow on Romania. As you can see, this wave is becoming so consistent that it may substitute what the Flower Bridge used to be once. Disdain at the entity called Romania has started prevailing: the Magyar Guard in Budapest claims to be ready for action when the case, Voronin is mocking us... What about our national honor ?
Cristian Unteanu
Ziua Marti 28 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
The opposite of such a code of honor is a totally different philosophy of life and a completely different type of behaviour: the one in use at the Gates of the Orient, where everything, honor included, is mocked. The direct effect of this historical tradition is that no one takes us too seriously, even when words announce that the sword, if there is one and if it is made of steel, could be unsheathed.
Everyone should have been breathless when President Traian Basescu announced ceremonially that this was it, the Moldovan Republic authorities pushed it too far and Romania would give a tough response. The President of Romania said the country was facing a challenge and it would give a response fit for such severe deeds. What did there follow ? God forbid it, no one fancied drums announcing war ! But one expected at least some classical diplomacy action or the Moldovan ambassador to be summoned and demonstratively rebuked in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since there was the evidence Basescu relied on when mentioning the respective challenge. Or we thought that our experts in security and communication systems would at least show up to prove that the intercepting of those phone calls the Chishinau authorities were mentioning were just a cheap fake. But did anyone say a thing ?
Yes, they did. But it was not our officials who said it, it was still Voronin. He has made use of Romania's lack of response after the presidential snarl given when the President was on a leave by the seaside, Voronin has started aggressive offense. It is just like when he explained to the European Union why he didn't need Basescu's offer to help the Moldovan Republic progress on the European way, since he had other partners. Now he is accusing Romania of making a pact with the devil and he is claiming that, since we are anyway talking about challenges, the Romanian side is guilty of financing the unionist move.
And, tough as they are when it comes to mockery, out fighters are keeping silent, which they take for dignified and honorable. They are pretending to know nothing, allowing an unprecedented wave of insults to flow on Romania. As you can see, this wave is becoming so consistent that it may substitute what the Flower Bridge used to be once. Disdain at the entity called Romania has started prevailing: the Magyar Guard in Budapest claims to be ready for action when the case, Voronin is mocking us... What about our national honor ?
Cristian Unteanu
Ziua Marti 28 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Monday, August 27, 2007
Basescu was informed about the situation in the Romanian Consulate to Chishinau
A few days after the pro-governmental daily "Moldova Suverana" in the Moldovan Republic published fragments from an allegedly official document on the abuses committed in the release of Romanian visas for Moldovans, the ANAT (National Association of Travel Agencies in the Moldovan Republic) has provided new information on the case, claiming they informed Bucharest authorities in June 5 about "the latest situation emerging in the Consulate in the Romanian Embassy".
According to Mediafax Agency, the open letter signed by the ANAT president Nicolae Platon had been sent to the President of Romania Traian Basescu about two months before the visa scandal burst out. A copy of it was supposed to have reached the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and minister Adrian Cioroianu, the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Tourism, the Romanian National Authority for Tourism and state secretary Lucia Nora Morariu, as well as Filip Teodorescu, Romania's ambassador to Chishinau. According to the news, the letter mentioned "the inappropriate behavior of Mr. General Consul Alexandru Rus" and more facts.
The ANAT official claims there was a diplomacy reply by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June 25, pointing to the Moldovan officials' restrictive approach to Romanian authorities' intention to open two more Romanian consulates in Cahul and Balti, the Moldovan Republic.
President Voronin's amnesia
As the visa scandal is amplifying, the Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has changed the stenograms of previous talks with the Romanian President Traian Basescu. Voronin stated last January that he agreed to the opening of two more Romanian consulates. But he changed his mind last weekend, claiming the Moldovan Republic had never made such a promise to Romania. He claimed that in his meeting with the Romanian President on January 16 he had just mentioned he would analyze the possibilities. (...)
D.E.
Ziua Luni 27 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
President accused of supporting campaign against ex President
In an open letter written yesterday the ex Romanian President Ion Iliescu protests against "the media lynching campaign" he is under because of his involvement in the coal miners' attacks in June 13-14, 1990. He claims the President of Romania Traian Basescu is supporting this campaign.
In his letter Ion Iliescu denies all the charges against him in the indictment drawn by military prosecutors and he calls them "fanciful charges". He argues: "I am firmly denying the campaign of media lynching, lies and manipulation of reality in which some publications and television stations are involved, together with producers and journalists. But it is more serious that staff from the Military Prosecutor's Office is involved. The campaign is meant to denigrate me in relation to the events in December 1989 and those in June 13-15, 1990".
Roman was "freed" in the University Square
According to Ion Iliescu, President Traian Basescu is behind the present attempt to manipulation, since he pursues "revenge against all those who, by using a legal and constitutional right, voted for his suspension in the Parliament". The honorary president of the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) mentions that certain people involved in the events at stake are accomplices of military prosecutors and they are after rewriting history and diverting attention from cause to effect, by taking advantage of the political support provided by the head of state.
The ex President argues in the letter that Petre Roman, at that time a PM, is the man who consented to "the measures to free" the University Square suggested by the Interior Ministry. According to the document, the events in June 13-15, 1990 originated in "an agreement between the vice PM Anton Vatasescu at the meeting with the representatives of those occupying the University square", and "PM Petre Roman agreed to the measures proposed by the Interior Ministry on freeing the area in the morning of June 13, 1990".
Ex PM Petre Roman replied that on June 11, 1990 he had approved of a plan of measures to free University Square, but he added he disagreed to the use of war munitions and cannons.
The ex President also opines the indictment is not a juridical document, but a "deeply political" one. He is very critical of the use of the word "repression" in the case. According to Ion Iliescu, the idea is unrealistic, since after the elections held in May 20, won by the Front for National Salvation (due to 66%) and by himself (85%), any violence of the rulers against the opposition "would have led to the compromising of the rulers and the loss of credibility".
R.I.P.
Ziua Luni 27 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
He expressed opinion too early
Traian Basescu made a spectacular comment a few days ago, threatening there would follow reprisals against the Chishinau government. But less than two years ago the heads of state in Bucharest and Chishinau were kissing each other with their sticky lips, like some family relatives. The cellar in Cotroceni Palace is still full of the wine bottles from Voronin, which crossed the border with no fees paid. They were a gentleman's gift for a gentleman. A short while ago, when launching his strange strategy on the East, Traian Basescu swore Romania would do its best to bring Chishinau to Europe: together with its Communists, Russia lovers, Moscow's Army 14 and, if the case, federalized with Tyraspol. What happened in the meantime ? How come such a spectacular and dramatic turning of a leaf ? What does the visa scandal imply, after all ?
As far as strategy is concerned, Romania made several mistakes. I mean not Romania, but President Traian Basescu, still head of the state. According to his attributions, he is the no. 1 strategist in foreign affairs matters. As for the Moldovan Republic's accession to the European Union, Traian Basescu expressed a straight opinion, but too early. Before Romania became a full right member state, the President had claimed Romania would do its best to help Chishinau join the EU as soon as possible, at the same time with Romania, if possible. Had this been about someone else, a Moscow agent let's say, I would have called it diversion at once, I would have taken it for one more attempt to prevent Romania from accomplishing the EU integration mission. Two years ago, Romania wasn't obviously ready and it still isn't for EU membership. The illusionary unification of the Moldovan Republic with its mother country, an idea part of a bizarre Russian project called 'Moldova vs. Transdniestria', was but diversion meant to disturb the weak political balance in Bucharest. By courting Voronin and establishing ambiguous family relations between Bucharest and Chishinau, Traian Basescu led Romania to a trap, making it face an issue both false and perilous, but still present: Romanian citizenship for the Moldovan Republic inhabitants.
The Moldovans are mainly after the privileged status of EU member. If such a project turns into more than words spoken by Bucharest officials, the ticking bomb would consist in the fact that, by granting the Moldovans with visas, Romania would face unimaginable difficulties in the relations with the EU authorities, effecting from the huge and uncontrolled trafficking in human beings. And there would also follow domestic slides impossible to settle. As seen, it is the Russia lovers and the Communists who dominate the Moldovans. Almost at once, the Russia lovers and the Communists would have become agents of the electoral process in Romania. What a luck that Bucharest leaders, Basescu the first of them, have once again proved inconstant or fond of double language !
The Chishinau visa scandal is part of the undisciplined process of strategy and political approach described above. The visa granting is one thing from a political point of view and something else from a propaganda point of view. We claim to be the brothers of the Romanian Moldovans and we make official statements that we are struggling to facilitate the visa release, but we are actually doing the opposite in order to avoid difficulties in the relations with the EU. Given this, Chishinau authorities may have caught us in the wrong attitude: taking bribe.
Why did Traian Basescu speak instead of the institutions entitled to it, thus expressing opinion on the visa issue too early, before the government's inquiry was over ? Is it just one of the President's usual slips ? Or is this the start of another confrontation between Cotroceni Palace and Victoria Palace ?
Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Sambata 25 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Chishinau discloses evidence
After the Romanian President Traian Basescu had accused Chishinau officials of proceeding to challenges through the secret services, which would not longer be tolerated, "Moldova Suverana", a pro-governmental daily in Chishinau, published yesterday fragments from what seems to be the Moldovan Interior ministry's report on the abuses committed in the release of visas for Romania.
The fragments describe the way travel agencies made use of the special regime for the Romanian visas, as well as the links between Alexandru Rus, Romania's consul to Chishinau, and other people involved in the visa affair. The secret services in the Moldovan Republic recorded several phone calls proving the connections between the consul and the other persons in the network. (...)
Romanian government wants rapid inquiry
The Romanian PM Calin-Popescu Tariceanu asked foreign minister Adrian Cioroianu yesterday to hurry up with the inquiry on the Romanian visa release in Chishinau. He also demanded the Romanian justice minister Tudor Chiuariu to complete the citizenship law.
The PM told the foreign minister: "Please hurry up with this inquiry and tell us the conclusions as soon as possible. If the accusations confirm true, you will have to decide on measures against those who broke the law".
Ala Meleca, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in the Moldovan Ministry, told the Mediafax that the ministry "had not plotted challenges" in the inquiry on the visa fraud, claiming the criminal cases were grounded on well handled evidence and were in keeping with the legislation in force. She also mentioned the Interior Ministry received no reply to an official letter sent to the Romanian Consulate in Chishinau, asking for collaboration in the investigations concerning fraud on the Romanian visas for Moldovan citizens.
Tarlev talked to Tariceanu
Moldovan PM Vasile Tarlev mentioned in an interview to the BBC: "I don't want to make statements or respond to the statements of the neighbor country's President. (...) But I talked to PM Tariceanu about this Romanian consulate too, about the visa release. The PM told me he demanded the Romanian institutions, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make the respective investigations and punish the people proved involved in breaks". It is to be noticed that the Moldovan official denied the existence of a diplomacy conflict.
George Damian
Ziua Sambata 25 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
The fragments describe the way travel agencies made use of the special regime for the Romanian visas, as well as the links between Alexandru Rus, Romania's consul to Chishinau, and other people involved in the visa affair. The secret services in the Moldovan Republic recorded several phone calls proving the connections between the consul and the other persons in the network. (...)
Romanian government wants rapid inquiry
The Romanian PM Calin-Popescu Tariceanu asked foreign minister Adrian Cioroianu yesterday to hurry up with the inquiry on the Romanian visa release in Chishinau. He also demanded the Romanian justice minister Tudor Chiuariu to complete the citizenship law.
The PM told the foreign minister: "Please hurry up with this inquiry and tell us the conclusions as soon as possible. If the accusations confirm true, you will have to decide on measures against those who broke the law".
Ala Meleca, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in the Moldovan Ministry, told the Mediafax that the ministry "had not plotted challenges" in the inquiry on the visa fraud, claiming the criminal cases were grounded on well handled evidence and were in keeping with the legislation in force. She also mentioned the Interior Ministry received no reply to an official letter sent to the Romanian Consulate in Chishinau, asking for collaboration in the investigations concerning fraud on the Romanian visas for Moldovan citizens.
Tarlev talked to Tariceanu
Moldovan PM Vasile Tarlev mentioned in an interview to the BBC: "I don't want to make statements or respond to the statements of the neighbor country's President. (...) But I talked to PM Tariceanu about this Romanian consulate too, about the visa release. The PM told me he demanded the Romanian institutions, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make the respective investigations and punish the people proved involved in breaks". It is to be noticed that the Moldovan official denied the existence of a diplomacy conflict.
George Damian
Ziua Sambata 25 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Friday, August 24, 2007
Crisis or deadlock ?
The basis-group in the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) has undoubtedly got angry because the PNL (National Liberal Party) is boasting about the estimated pension raise. Therefore this PSD group is playing by the President's rules and turning into a threat for the PNL, instead of teasing the President. It is to be noticed that due to his stormy interference the pension issue has got to be perceived as a new episode of the battle between himself and the PM.
Since he is a politician, Mr. Tariceanu has put it bluntly that the PNL won't join the PSD in order to govern together, because the Liberals prefer being in the opposition to such a sickly association. Therefore Mr. Geoana is now waiting for the advantages emerging from the political service he is doing to Mr. Basescu in his anti-Liberal crusade. I beg you to forgive me for noticing that the PNL president's refusal hasn't directed the media comment to the unmasking frenzy that has in the latest months denounced the so-called occult link collaboration between the PNL and the PSD. This discretion is so overt a proof of the propaganda nature of the allegation I am talking about that it isn't worth insisting.
On the other hand, Mr. Geoana's proposal is rather poisoned to Mr. Basescu: the President incited the public opinion hostile to the PSD too roughly against the PM. And now, even if playing the innocent victim of the villainous Parliament in the soap opera, he can't put up with a type of cohabitation that his own temper of an alpha macho is preventing him from accepting. It is hard for me to predict the denouement of this, except for a new political and legislative deadlock. But what if we try a hypothetical reading of the events having 'deadlock' as key word ?
The parliamentary debate on the law drafts on intelligence, counterintelligence and the respective service (PL 324-326) has reached the deadline. No matter the number of sins committed by the Tariceanu government, the latter is the author of the new laws, until recently approached with bizarre discretion, despite (or due to) the fact that they illustrate a Liberal view, in the widest sense of the word, on the place and role of the intelligence services in a modern state. When interrupted rather hazily and so-called impartially because of the recent issue on the National Authority for Phone Call Intercepting, the general silence on an issue that usually enflames public opinion no longer seems bizarre, but perfectly explainable: see the previous paragraph.
As they are in love with the Platica Vidovici & Timofte projects, the MPs representing the PSD and the PRM ("Greater Romania" Party) aren't fond of the present government's projects. What one sees from the Hill of Cotroceni is even more askew, since President Basescu invested his honor for the opposite projects supported by the SRI (Romanian Secret Service) and the SIE (Foreign Intelligence Service). Whether discovered or under cover, the MPs from the PD (Democrat Party) and the PLD (Liberal Democrat Party) have got neither reasons nor means to disobey the presidential imperatives.
Therefore a crisis seizing the government would be just perfect for freezing this debate and no adversary of the government's projects would have to state his/her real wish that the intelligence services should do business in the underground or make investigations like those made in the Ceausescu era. You can certainly remember that the other project, the one the President supported when he hadn't redefined yet his political profile of a great fighter against Communists and against the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania), let the intelligence service free to do business not related to the budget and make investigations no related to Justice. I can remember it, be it only due to the existence of previous attempts to promote such idea at times when I teamed with ex President Emil Constantinescu. It is just that President Constantinescu kicked the projects and their supporters out.
Zoe Petre
Ziua Vineri 24 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Since he is a politician, Mr. Tariceanu has put it bluntly that the PNL won't join the PSD in order to govern together, because the Liberals prefer being in the opposition to such a sickly association. Therefore Mr. Geoana is now waiting for the advantages emerging from the political service he is doing to Mr. Basescu in his anti-Liberal crusade. I beg you to forgive me for noticing that the PNL president's refusal hasn't directed the media comment to the unmasking frenzy that has in the latest months denounced the so-called occult link collaboration between the PNL and the PSD. This discretion is so overt a proof of the propaganda nature of the allegation I am talking about that it isn't worth insisting.
On the other hand, Mr. Geoana's proposal is rather poisoned to Mr. Basescu: the President incited the public opinion hostile to the PSD too roughly against the PM. And now, even if playing the innocent victim of the villainous Parliament in the soap opera, he can't put up with a type of cohabitation that his own temper of an alpha macho is preventing him from accepting. It is hard for me to predict the denouement of this, except for a new political and legislative deadlock. But what if we try a hypothetical reading of the events having 'deadlock' as key word ?
The parliamentary debate on the law drafts on intelligence, counterintelligence and the respective service (PL 324-326) has reached the deadline. No matter the number of sins committed by the Tariceanu government, the latter is the author of the new laws, until recently approached with bizarre discretion, despite (or due to) the fact that they illustrate a Liberal view, in the widest sense of the word, on the place and role of the intelligence services in a modern state. When interrupted rather hazily and so-called impartially because of the recent issue on the National Authority for Phone Call Intercepting, the general silence on an issue that usually enflames public opinion no longer seems bizarre, but perfectly explainable: see the previous paragraph.
As they are in love with the Platica Vidovici & Timofte projects, the MPs representing the PSD and the PRM ("Greater Romania" Party) aren't fond of the present government's projects. What one sees from the Hill of Cotroceni is even more askew, since President Basescu invested his honor for the opposite projects supported by the SRI (Romanian Secret Service) and the SIE (Foreign Intelligence Service). Whether discovered or under cover, the MPs from the PD (Democrat Party) and the PLD (Liberal Democrat Party) have got neither reasons nor means to disobey the presidential imperatives.
Therefore a crisis seizing the government would be just perfect for freezing this debate and no adversary of the government's projects would have to state his/her real wish that the intelligence services should do business in the underground or make investigations like those made in the Ceausescu era. You can certainly remember that the other project, the one the President supported when he hadn't redefined yet his political profile of a great fighter against Communists and against the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania), let the intelligence service free to do business not related to the budget and make investigations no related to Justice. I can remember it, be it only due to the existence of previous attempts to promote such idea at times when I teamed with ex President Emil Constantinescu. It is just that President Constantinescu kicked the projects and their supporters out.
Zoe Petre
Ziua Vineri 24 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Thursday, August 23, 2007
President Basescu fuels Chishinau visa scandal
Journalistic findings uncovered visa trafficking in the Romanian Consulate in Chishinau. A few weeks after they were released, the Interior Ministry in the Moldovan Republic announced one link in the affair was under arrest. Chishinau officials presently informed that in the business there were involved high rank officials employed by the Romanian Consulate in Chishinau. Consul Alexandru Rus was unofficially claimed to be part of it. Bucharest's first response was weak. The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs just denied having any official information from Moldovan authorities. But the President of Romania Traian Basescu said Tuesday evening that the whole story was an operation of the Moldovan secret services and he warned that Romania's response would be very tough.
Florin Lencu, a spokesman for Romania's Embassy to Chishinau, told us yesterday that Moldovan authorities produced no evidence on the case so far. Chishinau officials have just claimed having evidence, but without disclosing any.
Basescu's threat
President Basescu said Tuesday evening that this Romanian-Moldovan diplomacy scandal was "the latest aggression plotted against Romania" and he emphasized the response would be "very tough".
When asked about it by a young Moldovan female, the President mentioned first that it was not the Consulate in Chishinau that releases visa for Moldovan citizens, since the visas were released from Bucharest so that a Consulate employee could not facilitate procedures. The President commented: "We know the story about a lady from a travel agency inviting an embassy employee to a restaurant and then with the lady being taken by the Moldovan police. We know the lady's husband addressed the employee too. The whole trick was because of the need to film the Romanian employee with an envelope and make it unclear if he takes it or gives it. They would better give up such challenges. We know it is travel agencies that commit fraud". Visibly irritated at the issue, the President added: "This is the latest aggression plotted against Romania. We will have a very tough response this time. They have gone too far". He didn't forget to mention that the Consulate in Chishinau employed several Moldovan citizens.
Foreign minister promises "substantial attitude"
Adrian Cioroianu, Romania's foreign minister wouldn't comment on it yesterday. He just mentioned the issue was "too serious to be dismissed on the stairway" and he promised "substantial attitude" for early next week. He promised to hold a press conference and tackle the visa scandal.
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentioned the letter received from the Moldovan Interior Ministry demanded some information about certain visas released by the Embassy's Consulate Department in 2007, as well as information on the department's employees. There is mentioned that the document doesn't specify anything about documents or decisions by the staff in the Romanian Embassy to Chishinau.
Chishinau keeps on claiming the same
According to Ala Meleca, a spokeswoman for the Moldovan Interior Ministry, the institution did not "plot challenges" in the inquiry on the visa fraud and the criminal cases rely on "well handled evidence in keeping with the legislation in force". She argued: "The criminal cases against persons involved in breaks of the legislation in the Moldovan Republic are grounded and there is well handled evidence in keeping with the legislation in force".
Valentin Zubic, a deputy interior minister in the Moldovan Republic, stated last Friday that a high official in Romania's Embassy in Chishinau was suspected of having facilitated Romanian visas for Moldovan citizens. The Moldovan Interior Ministry claimed having written an official letter to the Romanian Consulate one day before in order to demand support for inquiry. But the Romanian Embassy in the Moldovan Republic announced having received no official information on the case.
George Damian
Ziua Joi 23 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
PSD is against lustration
Mircea Geoana, president of the PSD (Social-Democrat Party), announced yesterday that his party was going to support any law respecting democratic rights and European conventions, but not "the incisive laws trying to reopen wounds", such as the lustration law.
According to the PSD leader, the lustration law may turn into a political instrument. He argued: "Given this, I have got a problem: the lustration law is a political weapon and I wouldn't talk about finding the truth as political pretext. If we want to learn the truth and make peace with our past, we must make these issues clear. I will support the initiatives, but I won't agree that someone should play with this kind of instrument as with a political weapon against the party I head or against some political adversaries." He claimed there were such messages coming from "people who should have been under lustration a long time ago" or some who had collaborated with the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania) before 1989, still now "boasting about being the apostles of cleanness and morality in Romania".
Anca Hriban
Ziua Joi 23 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Blotting DNA
The ZIUA insight into the activity of the DNA (National Anti-Corruption Department) is now progressing. Although in 2006 the institution was the beneficiary of an impressing budget reaching higher than 20 million Euro, the results of the work done by the prosecutors headed by Daniel Morar were disastrous.
The DNA was supposed to handle 1,004 cases, but the anti-corruption investigators managed to complete only 365. In most of these cases it was decided not to open criminal inquiry or to stop investigations. Only 54 cases reached courts.
The Department to Fight against Crimes Adjacent to Corruption Crimes, headed by prosecutor Doru Tulus, is the most inefficient DNA structure. The prosecutors he coordinates settled 99 cases out of 428 and they opened criminal inquiry in just 18 cases.
The anti-corruption prosecutors' results are extremely poor, although unlike other similar institutions such as the Prosecutor's Office or the Police, in the DNA there are very few vacant jobs, as 98% of them are taken.
Apart from being a inefficient institution that gets lots of million Euro a year, the DNA is also very costly for the state. Like you could read in ZIUA, for a 1-month interception of a phone number's calls Romania pays about 2,200 Euro. (...)
Ziua
Ziua Joi 23 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The pension law, a reason for bill against government
The bill against the government the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) has announced is obviously absurd, since there are neither objective nor subjective reasons for it. The motivations announced are groundless. The PSD voted for a Tariceanu government without PD (Democrat Party) representatives, but a few months later the Social-Democrats have found themselves wishing to sack this government in favor of the PD. They announced the main reason for discontent was the "disastrous" activity of PD ministers and of ex Liberal Gheorghe Flutur, just as the PSD vice presidents admitted in TV talk shows. Reasonable demonstration isn't it ? And a tough decision, isn't it ?
The reason invoked by the PSD president Mircea Geoana is no better. His expressed will to become a PM is ridiculous and unrealistic. President Basescu didn't appoint him in December 2004, when the PSD had just won elections, due to gaining a few percentages more than the Liberal-Democrat alliance. So how can he possibly appoint Geoana a PM now, when the PSD score is almost a half of what it was, the PD score is almost five times higher, although it was just 6% ? The PD had the same 6% when the PNL (National Liberal Party) did away with the Democrats.
The issue at stake is actually different. It is something that both the PSD and the President are concerned about. It is the unstated reason why the PSD has announced intention to come up with bill against the government, even if the government the Social-Democrats voted for took some necessary measures, some voted by the PSD too and one that the MPs passed unanimously. The PSD has announced the bill right after the opinion polls, including those ordered by groups or institutes hostile to the Liberals, showed growing trust in PM Tariceanu and the PNL. This can be perceived without such opinion polls too, the pension raise has given way to real impression and not only among the retired Romanians. It has also improved people's respect for the Liberal government, the first one brave and decent enough to open the process of settling great injustice. Both the PSD and the PD are to be blamed for such injustice, because while together in the FSN (Front for National Salvation) they settled the unjust pension system. This is the undeniable truth.
It is also true that there is a law on the pension raise, voted unanimously, due to the PNL initiative. The fact that PM Tariceanu and the PNL author this popular law - but not populist, such as the PSD's impossible and dismissed version was - disturbs both Geoana and Basescu. The 20% the President has lost in terms of trust effects to a great extent from the opposition to the pension raise. Although more retired Romanians voted for him to get them a good life, as he had promised to in the opening speech delivered in December 21, 2994, when appointed a President and after having been validated by the Parliament. Here are his words: "We can't possibly hide poverty in statistics. Too many retired Romanians have got pensions smaller than the heat bill in winter. Too many peasants live in poverty, no matter how rich their crops are. Too many young Romanians have got to think Romania is no longer a country where they stand a chance. This state of things must be changed". And then he denied it, since it was the PNL, but not the PD or the PSD, who raised pensions.
The truth makes the PSD angry, although the Social-Democrats ruling for four years had enough time to produce a compensatory law, but they didn't. It makes the PD angry too. A Democrat headed the Ministry of Labor two years and a half, but he didn't do it, as he preferred the PSD style, and just with a slightly bigger spoon. These are facts. The other measures the PNL has been working on are facts too and they can prove that this bill against the government isn't because of failures, but because of results. It is just bluff meant to keep the PSD in the center of public attention for a while.
Roxana Iordache
Ziua Miercuri 22 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Bancpost and Romanian Lottery are fond of each other
-- Behind the romance between Liliana Ghervasuc and Mihai Bogza there is hidden great business that may jeopardize the money of Lottery players.
The ex secretary of the Balli group which the Conservative Party assigned to head the Romanian Lottery is planning to give the Lottery's millions to her lover to handle, although the man is suspected of having caused the International Bank of Religions go bankrupt. Between two hugs, Liliana Ghervasuc, president of the Romanian Lottery, and the president of the Bancpost Bank talk about transferring the state institution's bank accounts to Mihai Bogza's bank. 70% of the money cashed by the Lottery reach bank accounts and the remaining 30% cover for jackpots, wages and the other expenses.
Liliana Ghervasuc seems to be taking the way of her predecessor Nicolae Cristea, who made George Copos a rich man with the many from Lottery players. The business got to the National Anti-Corruption Department.
Now the Romanian Lottery wants to purchase more commercial room, in spite of having bought 38 such offices from George Copos recently, by buying more Bancpost actives.
After getting to head the Lottery, the ex secretary in Conservative Dan Voiculescu's companies got herself a salary of 4,000 Euro a month and she also hired 40 friends and ex colleagues from the Conservative Party. Furthermore, she sent them abroad, to the remotest destinations in the world, for studies at the state's expense. (...)
Mihnea Talau & George Tarata
Ziua Miercuri 22 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
President Basescu is back to school
The President of Romania Traian Basescu is studying again to pass the exam and validate his ship commander's license. Yesterday he started to attend the intensive courses held at the Romanian Center for Navy Staff Training in Constanta and the final test to reconfirm him as ship commander or not is due on Friday.
The President claimed it was nice to be back to school and mentioned that yesterday he got accustomed to the cannon simulator. "It makes me feel comfortable and the truth is that I have got the right to a valid license", he commented and produced the check showing he paid for the courses. He added the only problem was his attendance, but he expressed hope the lecturers would prove understanding and allow him a flexible schedule. (...)
M.T.
Ziua Marti 21 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Election of MEPs likely to be held in November 25
The election of MEPs in Romania is likely to be held in November 25, the date mentioned by most parliamentary parties. After yesterday's consultations with the party heads in Victoria Palace, the Romanian PM Calin-Popescu Tariceanu mentioned the government was going to announce the decision in one week's time the latest.
The Democrats didn't attend the meeting with the PM, just as the Social Democrats' leader Mircea Geoana, who had claimed a few days before that he wanted to become a PM.
Norica Nicolai, a vice president of the Romanian Liberals, said the party wanted the scrutiny to take place sometime between late November and December 9. She described November 25 as "reasonable". The other parties agreed it was a good choice. (...)
Ovidiu Banches & A.I.
Ziua Marti 21 Augist 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Monday, August 20, 2007
Liar of Bucharest
-- Democrat Adriean Videanu, a general mayor of Bucharest, did nothing of what he had promised to during the electoral campaign. He worked just for himself, for the Democrat Party, President Basescu and their groups of interests.
"All I promised during the campaign will be achieved in three years and a half", the Democrat leader elected by only 13% of the Bucharest inhabitants with the right to vote was emphatically boasting in the spring of 2005.
Still 81% of the solicitations from rightful owners whose properties, confiscated under the Communist regime, are to be returned haven't been settled. Instead of planting 60,000 trees a year, the mayor has been busy planting concrete colossuses in poor Bucharest. As for those who use public transport, he bought them buses inside which temperature reaches 60 degrees Celsius in the summer. The 10,000 car parking areas in the University-Romana quarter are still a dream for drivers who have to pay for parking to the company owned by Dorin Cocos, a friend of President Basescu's.
And Bucharest is a never-ending building site: the utility network is disaster and the holes in pavement are omnipresent. As for garbage, it hasn't been turned into a gold mine, as the mayor was announcing, but scattered to markets and roads.
The Esplanade and the Sports Arena continue to be just projects. The Romanian Patriarch didn't live to see the foundations of the National Redemption Cathedral, but mayor Videanu is bestowing the inhabitants of Bucharest with the illegal Cathedral Plaza colossus against which the very Vatican has protested. (...)
Mihnea Talau
Ziua Luni 20 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Romanian Diaspora asks for CSAT reunion
-- The Summer University of Romanians Worldwide, held in Izvoru Muresului, Romania, in August 16-19, housed debate on the problems Romanians abroad are faced with. The National Foundation for Romanians Worldwide, the Covasna-Harghita European Study Center organized the event together with the Orthodox Episcopate of Covasna and Harghita.
The representatives of the Romanian Diaspora attending the event demanded yesterday that the Romanian Presidency, Parliament and government should summon a reunion of the CSAT (Supreme Council for National Defense) to tackle the problems of Romanians living abroad. In an open letter written for President Traian Basescu, PM Calin-Popescu Tariceanu and the presidents of the two Parliament Chambers the authors claims such a CSAT meeting is needed because Romanians abroad make a component of Romania's National Security Strategy. In the document there is mentioned that authorities' indifference to it may be taken for an attempt against national security.
The participants have also demanded a strategy for the Romanians abroad should be elaborated and the law on Romanians worldwide should pass at once. The authors also claim the Department for Romanians Worldwide should be restructured, depoliticized and freed from bureaucracy, just as the institution should finance projects the European way.
Citizenship
One priority identified by the attendants and needing support from Romanian authorities is the urgent adoption of the law on the recognition of the citizenship for Romanians in Basarabia and Bucovina, accompanied by the promotion of easier means of granting Romanian citizenship to Romanian-origin people living in regions close to the borders and in the Balkans. Another difficulty consists in the acknowledging of university diplomas released in Romania by the non-EU neighboring states.
The open letter mentions the need to intensify diplomacy procedures to help the Romanian communities in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Greece acquire status as national minorities. The authors also want the state budget for Romanian schools to finance the building of Romanian teaching schools in the West. Authorities are solicited to reopen actions to establish in Cernauti Romanian teaching university institutions part of a Multicultural University.
The contents of the open letter was decided on by the representatives of the Romanian Diaspora (Moldovan Republic, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Australia, Canada and the US) together with the representatives of Romanian associations and organizations in Harghita and Covasna and those of the Moldavian Catholics. Officials from the Orthodox Episcopate in Harghita and Covasna and public personalities, MPs, scholars and local leaders contributed as well.
The US State Department has decided together with Romanian authorities to proceed to an opinion poll and see whether the legalization of prostitution in Romania would have a positive impact on the fight against the flesh trafficking or not. Eleanor Gaetan, a senior coordinator representing the US State Department, described Romania as a transit state as well as a source for the trafficking in human beings.
The attendance of the representatives of Romanians abroad was an exceptional opportunity for institutions fighting against it to talk about a common strategy to diminish the phenomenon.
I.C.
Ziua Luni 20 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
The representatives of the Romanian Diaspora attending the event demanded yesterday that the Romanian Presidency, Parliament and government should summon a reunion of the CSAT (Supreme Council for National Defense) to tackle the problems of Romanians living abroad. In an open letter written for President Traian Basescu, PM Calin-Popescu Tariceanu and the presidents of the two Parliament Chambers the authors claims such a CSAT meeting is needed because Romanians abroad make a component of Romania's National Security Strategy. In the document there is mentioned that authorities' indifference to it may be taken for an attempt against national security.
The participants have also demanded a strategy for the Romanians abroad should be elaborated and the law on Romanians worldwide should pass at once. The authors also claim the Department for Romanians Worldwide should be restructured, depoliticized and freed from bureaucracy, just as the institution should finance projects the European way.
Citizenship
One priority identified by the attendants and needing support from Romanian authorities is the urgent adoption of the law on the recognition of the citizenship for Romanians in Basarabia and Bucovina, accompanied by the promotion of easier means of granting Romanian citizenship to Romanian-origin people living in regions close to the borders and in the Balkans. Another difficulty consists in the acknowledging of university diplomas released in Romania by the non-EU neighboring states.
The open letter mentions the need to intensify diplomacy procedures to help the Romanian communities in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Greece acquire status as national minorities. The authors also want the state budget for Romanian schools to finance the building of Romanian teaching schools in the West. Authorities are solicited to reopen actions to establish in Cernauti Romanian teaching university institutions part of a Multicultural University.
The contents of the open letter was decided on by the representatives of the Romanian Diaspora (Moldovan Republic, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Australia, Canada and the US) together with the representatives of Romanian associations and organizations in Harghita and Covasna and those of the Moldavian Catholics. Officials from the Orthodox Episcopate in Harghita and Covasna and public personalities, MPs, scholars and local leaders contributed as well.
The US State Department has decided together with Romanian authorities to proceed to an opinion poll and see whether the legalization of prostitution in Romania would have a positive impact on the fight against the flesh trafficking or not. Eleanor Gaetan, a senior coordinator representing the US State Department, described Romania as a transit state as well as a source for the trafficking in human beings.
The attendance of the representatives of Romanians abroad was an exceptional opportunity for institutions fighting against it to talk about a common strategy to diminish the phenomenon.
I.C.
Ziua Luni 20 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The 3rd Tariceanu Cabinet
If it is true that for the time being the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) is urged to avoid early elections rather than provoke them, then it is also true that the party can't join the PD (Democrat Party) in an alliance. The Social-Democrats would this way assail their own electorate and lose the vulnerable electors. As for the Democrats, who have gone on demonizing the rival, such a combination would be really immoral. The idea of allowing the PD to rule is neither tempting to the PSD. As elections are approaching, the PD would take up the very practical habits again and try to coordinate polls by unfair means to serve their own interests. And it is also hard to assume that the PSD would be so naďve to make a minority government, in case Traian Basescu chose it by appointing a Social-Democrat PM, that is Mircea Geoana, after the government's collapse. Nevertheless, it is the most important parliamentary party that decides, despite such scenarios. If all these prove inconvenient to the PSD, is there a pattern for success ? If I give a positive answer, I have to take the readers inside the scenario on the 3rd Tariceanu government.
So far I haven't analyzed the last hypothesis, which can turn into the first: rough talks of the PSD, PNL (National Liberal Party), UDMR (Democrat Union of Hungarians in Romania), PC (Conservative Party) and maybe PRM ("Greater Romania" Party) on the making of a national union government. Mind you that the PD and the PLD (Liberal-Democrat Party), the two presidential parties, are kicked out. Or the PSD, the PNL and the UDMR may establish a government to get parliamentary majority. Threatening to come up with bill against the government that would sweep the Liberals off, the PSD could insist on the making of a government dominated by this party's representatives, but still headed by Calin-Popescu Tariceanu. It would have some effect the PSD should consider. By taking over and appointing a puppet PM, the PSD could know how to decide on the costs of power in the hard times before elections. Before the 2008 parliamentary election the PSD would obviously try to blame failures on the Liberals and also to make use of the privileges emerging from power. They would bring lots of their own activists and adepts in the main layers of the public administration, both central and local, and they would continue with handling the budget and EU funds in such a way to favor the party and the communities the PSD controls. They would end up organizing the MEP, local and parliamentary elections so that the PSD would be at advantage. It would mean Mircea Geoana's party would take over the key ministries: Internal Affairs, Justice, finance and so on. This is something hard for the Liberals to refuse for, if their government is sacked, they will leave with a rather poor electoral score and get caught in the more and more aggressive presidential alliance. In such a case, the PLD may work like a true Liberal vacuum cleaner and the PSD would have no reason to spare Tariceanu's party. In fact, the Liberals would find themselves isolated on the political stage and it would be difficult to assume that the PRM, the UDMR and the PC would be willing to cooperate. Furthermore, President Basescu would triumphantly become a pain in Tariceanu's neck.
After all, who does the PSD fear most ? Traian Basescu. They must therefore be willing to agree to any solution meant to sack the 2nd Tariceanu government, except for the ones that let the head of state be free to play. One thing is for sure: after September 10 nothing will be like before.
Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Duminica 19 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Funny Communist archive
If you browse the records of the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania), you can sometimes find yourself bursting into laughter, although for telling the jokes registered by the ex Securitate officers the jokers spent long years in prison.
Apart from tragedies, the researchers working on the archive now in the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) have run into funny things: involuntary humor, funny questionings, joke-crimes or jokes because of which one would get behind bars. The ex Securitate officers and collaborators would diligently write down all the jokes told by those they would watch.
Here are some examples: "I promise to support the Securitate structures until I get completely exhausted" or "He carried a horn to Putna and he blew it. He is going to be investigated on the horn's significance".
Professor Belu Zilber spent 17 years in prison after having made a joke on Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej. The ex Securitate used to listen to every joke that Mircea Crisan, the well-known comedian settled in the West, would tell on Free Europe Radio. In today's Romanian edition of the newspaper you can read some of the jokes one used to go to jail for two decades ago. (...)
T.S.
Ziua Vineri 17 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
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