President Basescu undergoes surgery

The President of Romania Traian Basescu is to undergo surgery today in the Military Hospital, Bucharest because of a thyroid gland trouble. Whether it is cancer or not it will be found out afterwards. Nicolae Vacaroiu, a president of the Romanian senate, is taking over the President's attributions for the hours the latter will be under total anesthesia.
Autonomous knot on the right thyroid lobe, the President's disease, was detected last June. The surgery, which Presidency Administration describes as routine, is to be supervised by experts coming from three different hospitals, one of them the C.I. Parhon Endocrinology Institute.
Despite the calming information coming from Cotroceni Palace, specialists say things are not that certain. Apart from the risks involved in any surgery, they mention some form of cancer can't be out of question.
Cancer or hyperthyroidism ?
Since the press releases from Presidency Administration are so vague, Romanians are wondering what thyroid disease is President Basescu suffering from and why is the surgery necessary, since it isn't about cancer. The endocrinologists ZIUA has talked to have tackled it, starting from the very scarce information and medical clues leaking from Presidency Administration yesterday, with the latter institution trying to muffle the President's real state of health.
Civil society seems shocked to hear the news about the surgery President Basescu must absolutely undergo in a Romanian hospital, given the tragic denouement of the surgery performed on His Holiness the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
The first press release from Cotroceni Palace used key-word to confuse public opinion. Endocrinologist Dan Peretianu, a Ph. D. in medical sciences, opines the use of a word such as "routine" next to "surgery" in the communique from Presidency "is misleading, inducing the idea there is no severe health problem". (...)
"Thyroid cancer is usually settled by surgery", doctor Peretianu explains. It is therefore a mystery why patient Basescu did not undergo a biopsy by modern means that exclude surgery. (...)

D.E.I. & S.A.
Ziua Sambata 8 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Prostitutes removed from Bucharest streets

Bucharest policemen have taken action to remove prostitutes from streets this autumn. The action is now in progress because most sanctions have proved inefficient. Christian Ciocan, a spokesman for Bucharest Police, explains that since the beginning of 2007 until now 2,666 prostitutes were fined and the state budget is to cash over 6 million RON.
Mediafax Agency informs there are 289 criminal cases on prostitution and another 289 against pimps. The spokesman explains: "Given the inefficiency of fines and sometimes of criminal cases, an action to fight such kind of crimes will be taken in Bucharest in September 1 - November 31, 2007".
The Police official says this is meant to drive prostitutes away from the streets of the city. He mentions that last year only about 30% of the prostitutes fined paid the fines. He comments: "These girls have actually got nothing: no properties and belongings. Their address is in fact in a different locality. Even if the fines reach these places, they aren't paid".
Dialogue with journalists
Bucharest Police took such action together on Thursday night and the prostitutes caught red-handed could talk to the journalists accompanying the policemen. The employees of Police Station 8 in Bucharest picked up 7 such prostitutes, after having caught 2 of them red-handed.
First they wouldn't talk to the press, but then some of them spoke up. A woman in her late twenties told us serenely: "I have 3 children, the oldest one is 8. I took up prostitution two years ago because I couldn't afford to buy them food, but I have got to like it". She told the police would catch her weekly and lately every day and she told she had a lot of fines to pay. "I go back anyway and they can pick me up again", she said.
Adriana is a 29-year-old go-between. She explained: "I have 6 or 7 girls to see to. I stop clients on the street, I tell them the prices and I get 10% for myself. I must earn a living somehow. I have a 4-year-old child to take care of". She added it was the only "job" she could manage to have.
Flori is 29 and her experience in the field is 3 years. She told journalists: "I have got a lot of fines to pay. I had a criminal case for prostitution and the court fined me. That fine is the only one I paid". She just added she hated her way or making a living. (...)

Adrian Ghiciusca
Ziua Sambata 8 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

We wish U...

Zangy Comment Graphics

* ----- *

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

Surgery ahead for President Basescu

The President of Romania Traian Basescu is to undergo a thyroide gland surgery. Presidency spokesman Valeriu Turcan announces by press release that a team of doctors is going to proceed to the surgery in the Military Hospital, Bucharest, the following days.
The surgery will not disturb the President's schedule, as it is an ordinary one the Presidents has asked to undergo. There is also mentioned that Presidency Administration is going to inform both press and public opinion regularly, every time news comes up.

A.I.
Ziua Vineri 7 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

PD to be investigated for false signatures

-- Deputy Nati Meir is to go to the National Anti-Corruption Department next Tuesday and provide details about the signature list drawn by the PD (Democrat Party) to prove support for a bill against the government.
It is to be reminded that just a few days before the parliamentary term was over, the PD, with support from the PLD (Liberal-Democrat Party), initiated a bill to overthrow the Tariceanu Cabinet. As there weren't enough adepts, the Democrats asked some independent MPs for support signatures in exchange to certain advantages. One such deputy is Nati Meir. A few days later he complained about the Democrats' double language, accusing them of bribe. More exactly, he was asking that the Prosecutor's Officer should investigate on Democrat leaders Emil Boc and Adriean Videanu for bribe. He commented: "When I signed for the bill, they proposed I should head the list of the PD branch in Tulcea for next elections. But Emil Boc took it back after a fortnight".
Presently the independent deputy announced in the Chamber of Deputies that he was leaving the PD parliamentary group. There were more MPs who claimed on the PD list there were false support signatures.

Liliana Ionescu
Ziua Vineri 7 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

CNSAS fails to check on high clergy by September 12

Because of the quorum missing in yesterday's meeting of the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive), a decision was impossible to reach and therefore there was neither any verdict on some high clergymen's past. Only 6 of the 11 members of the CNSAS board were present. They others didn't attend for family reasons or because they hadn't been announced about the meeting. The CNSAS has thus failed to express clear verdicts on all the Holy Synod members by September 12, when a new Patriarch is to be elected. (...)
Dinescu points to interference
Mircea Dinescu looked disappointed after the meeting and he mentioned pressure from politicians and from the Romanian Patriarchy as well. "We can't reach decisions because some are more influenced by the phone calls they get from politicians and from Patriarchy", he commented.
According to this CNSAS member, there is no chance that one decision on a high clergyman should be reached by September 12. Still he added decisions on such records would be made later on.
The CNSAS members are to meet next Tuesday, but no decision will be reached so that it won't influence the election of the future Patriarch. The CNSAS is to check on the elected Patriarch's past in order to do away with any doubts about his personality.

Cristian Andrei
Ziua Vineri 7 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Senator Dan Voiculescu resigns

-- Senator Dan Voiculescu, a president of the PC (Conservative Party), resigned yesterday, claiming it was because of his "powerlessness to keep his promises to the electorate".
In yesterday's press conference the PC leader mentioned he wouldn't exist the stage of politics and he also added he would continue to head the Romanian Conservatives. He argued that he would be more dedicated to his party and to the preparations for the election of MEPs in Romania. He claimed his resignation had nothing to do with the National Anti Corruption Department's criminal cases against him or to the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) decision, according to which he had been a collaborator of the political police under the Communist regime.
He argued it would be "dishonest" of him to continue his activity as a MP, after failing to promote initiatives on the making of a solidarity fund for the Romanian retired and on support for the tenants of houses confiscated by the Communists. He pleaded as follows: "Please believe me that, after my short career as a MP, the praising for me would be scarce".
He announced he was resigning right after meeting with the Social-Democrats' leader Mircea Geoana yesterday morning. The Social-Democrats promised to support three of the four projects the Conservatives are promoting: the cut on the value added tax for basic food products, support for the tenants of houses confiscated under the Communist regime and the 0 tax on reinvested profit. (...)

Raluca Papadopol
Ziua Vineri 7 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

* ---- *

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

Electoral ecumenism

The President of Romania Traian Basescu seems to be going on with his typical populism in search for the clergy's support. He is taking the third Reunion of Christian Churches taking place in Sibiu, the European City of Culture in 2007, as an opportunity.
Yesterday morning he participated at the prayer preceding the first session of this third European Ecumenical Assembly. The first prayer attended by all the Christians these days in Sibiu had taken place Tuesday evening in the City Square, where the President had spent just a few minutes, taking the opportunity to see to his hobby: talk to the crowd. (...)
In the opening of yesterday's session the attendants kept silent for a few minutes to commemorate the recently deceased Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, a great European personality in the world of Christians. Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, a spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians all over the world, outlined the historical importance of the ongoing event in the sermon he delivered in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sibiu last Tuesday and he congratulated the Romanian Orthodox Church, the local Church and the city.
Spiritual demagogy
In yesterday's speech President Basescu described the Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu as a token of faiths' solidarity and one more hope for unity, outlining Romania was privileged to house an event vital to the Christian Churches' common action and to Romania's responsible approach to its fundamental spiritual values.
He argued: "Today it is more necessary than ever to shape room for common reflection on the role Churches can play in our societies, in keeping with their religious missions and in order to develop interChristian and interreligious dialogue, cultivate respect for humans' dignity and for the nature the faithful take for God's creation. I knew you started in Rome and continued in Wittenberg a pilgrimage making preparations for this assembly, meant to celebrate the diversity of traditions within European Christianity. The third European Ecumenical Assembly is taking place in Sibiu, a true model of collaboration of cultures and religious cults. It is the first time a country mostly Orthodox, a country that made preparations for today's event due to the historical visit that Pope John Paul II paid here in 1999. To all of us this is a token of solidarity between faiths and renewed hope for unity".

D.E.
Ziua Joi 6 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

President Basescu accused of inappropriate view

Danish MEP Jens Peter Bonde addressed the Parliament of Europe against the President of Romania Traian Basescu, criticizing his idea to hold the national referendum on the uninominal vote system at the same time with the election of MEPs in Romania.
The MEP argues in his letter to the Conference of Presidents in the Parliament of Europe that such a decision may twist the meaning and the progress of the first election of MEPs to be held in Romania. The Conference of Presidents is a group made up of the heads of political groups in the Parliament of Europe and it is the institution deciding on the agenda.
It is to be reminded that President Basescu has recently demanded Romanian political parties to decide on the uninominal vote or he will summon a referendum to take place in November 25, the very day of the election of MEPs in Romania. But according to European recommendations, no other scrutiny should be held the day when the election of MEPs is due.
The Euro-skeptic Danish MEP, a member of the independent democrat group, wants the Parliament of Europe to express view on President Basescu's initiative in order to explain to Romania that the significance of the first election of MEPs in this country would thus be harmed.

Liliana Ionescu
Ziua Joi 6 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Hands and trick

Adriean Videanu, the Democrat mayor of Bucharest, is a failure. Bucharest is a real pell mell. The countdown left till elections is fatal to him. He isn't standing the smallest chance to prove by March 2008 that he has accomplished his missions. Traian Basescu, his guru, the man who helped him take over the City Hall and bring his male and female advisers and businessmen along, is even worse now, because he is the one in fact responsible for it. Videanu's tremendous failure can cost Basescu his second mandate as President. It would also harm the Democrat Party and the way to parliamentary elections. But to kick Videanu out cynically, which they were intending to do about a fortnight ago, is no solution, for Basescu will be blamed for it anyway. Therefore the only scenario available is a trick of the Basescu kind.
The topper has recently reached the table and the head of state has taken the bunny out of it. He has actually produced a SF idea: mess is reigning over Bucharest not because the mayor is an unskilled yesman fond of fraud, but because the system isn't good. This is how Basescu has caught two bunnies at a time. While trying to save Videanu's honor, he has accounted for his own lack of skill proved at the time when he was a general mayor of Bucharest. And therefore the main state official in charge of protecting the law has offended the law, more exactly the normative document settling Bucharest affairs (structure of districts, multiple authorities and so on), elaborated about 80 years ago. He has claimed no one can do real work here because there are too many authorities disturbing each other. And according to the boss in Cotroceni Palace, the solution would be one single man to hold all the administrative power. In such case, the great strategist would have power to do and undo things and thus rebuild Bucharest to make our dreams come true.
But if we take a closer look, the bunny taken out of the topper turns into a dragon. Not even Ceausescu, when giving directions about everything, did dare think about doing away with the districts of Bucharest. They anyway exist in the capital city of the presidential republic of France, whose Constitution Basescu has been struggling to imitate. But Paris is, was and will be divided in districts. The city authorities there and the main politicians have concluded it can be no other way. And, thank God, the City of Lights has survived. It has survived without mayors like Crin Halaicu, Victor Ciorbea, Viorel Lis, Traian Basescu or Adriean Videanu.
It is so puzzling to realize out of the blue that Bucharest can't be ruled as long as it is divided into districts, after Basescu was a mayor twice and although he is in power a third time, via his yesman. It is puzzling that he should be blaming the law. Maybe in his attempt to save some of his own honour and some of the Democrat Party's honour he will ask for some referendum on the issue.
Given these, how will the uninominal electoral campaign for the City Hall of the most important Romanian city take place ? Will it open by a denial of the system ? Or has it opened already ? Has the President of all Romanians already started his campaign for Bucharest by any chance, acting like an anti-system politician ? If so, he has committed hands. He has touched the ball with the hands, trying to fool both the arbitrator and the spectators and sneak the ball into the goal. But I'm afraid this isn't working any more. Videanu has mentioned it a lot of times that only when his mandate as general mayor of Bucharest is over the others may reach conclusions. He has specified his mandate is a "4-year one". These 4 years will soon be over. And what will there be left ? Another failure of Basescu's, one he can no longer blame on others. This works in case we ignore the fact that the President's man is a criminal, but one proved so only by the press so far. And there is no presumption of innocence.

Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Joi 6 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Pickpockets' castle

Watch your bags and pockets: while Romanian pickpockets are haunting Europe, Romania has turned into a target for foreign thieves cartels.
According to the Police archive, in 2007 thefts have been more numerous than ever, with hypermarkets as favorite places. The Police managed to catch a gang of Czech pickpockets just because they were too greedy, although it was their first action.
The thieves are informed, given accommodation and taken to the location by heads of the Romanian underground world, who are part of a very well working European cartel.
An operative group is made up of 3-5 individuals and the group spends 5 days at most in a city and 1 month at most in a country before being moved. When working abroad, Romanian pickpockets get the same treatment.
In Bucharest there take place 10 thefts every half an hour on an average. Cards are broken in just a few seconds, before the victim gets to announce the bank. When the prey is substantial, pickpockets use extreme violence even in the parking areas of supermarkets guarded by security companies. The Police have sent under cover agents to supermarkets these days. A retired pickpocket tells ZIUA: "In Bucharest there are no more than 10 people who control it. The press has reported on some, but in vain, nothing is happening." (...)

I.G.
Ziua Joi 6 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

* ---- *

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

Stop the diversion !

Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR), in its entirety, is the target of a concerted attack, whose precedent can only be find in the dark Stalinist epoch. The aim is that the political power confiscates the patriarchal chair, the top of the Church. The best way to do it is by manipulating the elections that are to follow. Visible and invisible forces take part in this dangerous diversion, meant to reduce even more the independence and the credibility of the Church. The National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Police Archive (CNSAS) stands forefront, probably also with a view to an ultimate self-compromising. This institution is pushed forward as a battering ram to break the heads of those persisting in the idea that the Synod itself should elect the new patriarch. And I mean a free Synod, whose votes are guided by factors outside the Church as little as possible. However, the dirty trick CNSAS is organizing today is only a smoke curtain as the true manipulators stand behind. It's about, first and foremost, the President of Romania, Traian Basescu. The secret services, which are working hard to provide real information of a compromising nature on the high clergy, and also rumours and forgeries closely follow him. And rumours circulate with a hallucinating speed among the Orthodox Christians. Secondly, parties couldn't have missed this war of dubbing the new patriarch. And parties are known to manipulate. And they have their elected members at both central and local level. Multiple pressures are put on the high clergy and on the other members of the Synod who are to vote. These pressures range from blackmail to broad or explicit threats, from direct "unmasking" actions, up to also direct actions of buying good will. And, eventually, the so-called high level talks of a persuasive type are there too. We witness one of the dirtiest tricks from after December 1989.
I am among the most consistent supporters of the man Ticu Dumitrescu. I have pleaded for a law on the unmasking the former communist secret police (Securitatea) starting January 1990. I have backed up Ticu when he has struggled for the issuing of such a piece of legislation. Finally, the initial document has been distorted in such a way in the Parliament that even Ticu Dumitrescu hasn't vindicated its paternity. I thought that if Ticu Dumitrescu comes to CNSAS, the whole hubbub that has marked the beginning of this institution was going to end, especially after the "elected ones" finally had access to the files. Actually, each of them and starting with Ticu, they have turned into commissaries. And they look just like those in Stalin's time. Together, they make up an instrument of political manipulation, i.e. of political police. To this is, for the time being, limited the so-called work of "unmasking the communist secret service as political police". It's high time I asked Mr. Ticu Dumitrescu to stop and to admit that he has fallen into a dangerous trap. He should start repairing what he has damaged and unmask the CNSAS.
It's high time now to catch the attention of the public opinion on the fact that the "unmasking" of the high clergy right about the time when the patriarch must be elected is a diversion. And that they're being called at the CNSAS seat is an abuse. And the fact that CNSAS affords to officially state that it gives sentences on some people's past is a dirt, a distortion of the aim it has been set up for. And the diversion is being built up exactly by those who have the interest of turning the Church into a tool of the political struggle. And those are the politicians themselves. Not all of them, of course, but some do, headed by the tenant in Cotroceni Palace, who gives electoral speeches in churches.
Stop the diversion against the Romanian Orthodox Church ! Catch Traian Basescu's attention on the reality that it is not the sacrificing of the independence of the Church that will guarantee him a second mandate. And tell him openly that there won't be a second mandate.

Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Miercuri 5 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

UDMR has fallen below threshold

PD (Democrat Party) is by far the leader in the top of the voting intention for the parliamentary elections, while UDMR (Democrat Union of the Magyars in Romania) has dropped below the electoral threshold by five points, according to the Political Opinion Barometer that IMAS (IMAS Marketing and Polls) drew up during 8-15 August.
PD would get 42% of the votes, if there were to be elections for the Parliament the "next Sunday", the Democrats being followed by PSD (Social-Democrat Party) - 17% and PNG (Party of the New Generation) - 13%. The survey also shows that PNL (National Liberal Party) - 12% and PRM (Greater Romania Party) - 5% could also go into the Parliament, while UDMR - 4%, PLD (Liberal Democrat Party) - 3%, PIN (National Initiative Party) - 2% and PC (Conservative Party) - 1% are placed below the electoral threshold. A percentage of 22% of the interviewed persons declared themselves undecided or said they would not vote. In top of the confidence in the main political personalities, President Traian Basescu remains on the first place with 54% positive appreciation. The head of State is followed by PNG president, George Becali (37%), PLD leader, Theodor Stolojan (28%) and the leaders of PSD and PNL - Mircea Geoana and Calin-Popescu Tariceanu - by 20% each. Emil Boc is credited by 17%, Corneliu Vadim Tudor - 15%, Cristian Diaconescu and Adrian Cioroianu - 12% each and Vasile Blaga by 11%. Dan Voiculescu (8%), Marko Bela (6%) and Ioan Talpes (4%) occupy the last three places. The former IMAS director, PSD senator Alin Teodorescu said, on Realitatea TV, that the small score UDMR recorded in August is a consequence of "the effect of Traian Basescu's long campaign in Harghita and Covasna counties". The IMAS polling has been carried out on a population sample of 1,245 individuals, representative for Romania's adult population. The margin of error is of plus/minus 2.8%.

Ovidiu Banches
Ziua Miercuri 5 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

* ---- *

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

Great president or small president ?

All means accepted by the Fundamental law to remove from office the head of state are legitimate since Traian Basescu hasn't met by far the obligations conferred by the Constitution, on the contrary, he has done everything possible to block the reform in Romania. However, this is politicians' business and it will be the citizens' too when they have the occasion to decide, under circumstances different from those of the referendum. If we analyze the PNL (National Liberal Party) proposition aiming at a major change of a constitutional nature relating to the president's status, we must leave aside the person Traian Basescu. The fundamental law cannot be changed on account of the fact that we like a person or not or because a person is harmful or beneficial. There are different reasons that should prevail. That is why, starting the reality we have, for establishing a limit line between presidential attributions and the Executive's, and a bad Constitution that generates, as we've seen, tensions and crises between the Palaces, we must opt without prejudices for the best structure which it should be turned into. We do not need a semi-presidential republic, that's clear. But what is it better to have ? Is it good for us to have in the future a parliamentary republic or a presidential republic ?
Any of the solutions is, for certain, better than the semi-presidential republic. That's because in any of the two options, the war of fundamental state institutions can be avoided, to their benefit and, eventually, to the citizen's benefit. The citizen's sick of quarrels, scandals, plots leading nowhere or crisis blocking the reform and delay development. So, if we talk about the reform of the political class, let's do it starting from the top.
If we are to have a presidential republic, before making an option, we might have to look carefully towards the United States, as they surely have the most functional presidential republic. How are things organized there ? The elected president of the United States is the chief of Executive as well. Therefore, if things go well, he is the one winning laurels. If things go bad, it's him again to catch it hot. You will never hear an American president cursing the Government. Never ! Things are the same the other way round: no Government would attack its president. In the most frequently met hypothesis among the Western democracies, that of a parliamentary republic, the situation is, again, relatively simple, as far as attribution delimitation is concerned. That's because in this scenario, the president has no executive attributions. Consequently, he has no right to interfere in the governing relating matters, or to comment them, from his quality of a head of state. He has a rather representative role. In a parliamentary republic, the political class installs the president and, when he becomes undesirable, the political class is again the one that removes him. This is done, as a rule, by the agency of the most important democratic institution, the Parliament.
As far as I am concerned, I opt for the formula of a parliamentary republic. That is because I do not consider Traian Basescu a dangerous individual, doing more bad that good, but simply because I'm terribly afraid of the effects the absence of a long democratic tradition might have in Romania. One's temptation, no matter who the individual is, to use power for himself and in the citizens' interest is huge and ubiquitous. Moreover, the citizen himself, illiterate in matters of politics and somehow tipsy, is tempted to label as week a Democrat president and to unconsciously throw himself into the arms of a father, perceived as a providential someone.
So, a president elected by the Parliament would be good.

Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Marti 4 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

BOR accuses CNSAS

The Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR) questions the capacity of CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) to give objective verdicts and accuses the campaign launched against the Orthodox clergymen. "We have witnessed during the past weeks a campaign backed up also by some members of the CNSAS College who have launched serious accusations, unproved in any way, against some passed away Orthodox clergymen, by the publication of some questionable denouncements from the ex-communist secret service archive", states the Patriarchy in a press release, as quoted by Rompres News Agency. The Patriarchy accuses this attempt of humiliating the Church and the troubling of the elections for the new Patriarch, that are to be held on September 12. Moreover, BOR appreciates that the historic context of the communist times have to be explained and made known in detail before assessing the different actions of some clergymen.

Cristian Andrei
Ziua Marti 4 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

CNSAS, treated with refuse

-- High clergy accuse the College of interference
The CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) College faced yesterday the refuse of the high clergy to come to hearing, the only one who answered the request of the institution being the Archbishop of Alba, Andrei Andreicut. On the other hand, Archbishop of Suceava and Radauti, Pimen Zainea, Bishop Arges, Calinic Argatu and Bishop Arad, Timotei Seviciu, didn't honour the CNSAS request. The Metropolitan Bishop of Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramures, Bartolomeu Anania, informed, by a press communiqué, that hew considered the approach of the College as an interference in the internal affairs of BOR (Romanian Orthodox Church), and Metropolitan Bishop Daniel denied any collaboration with the former communist secret police.
Andreicut: I have disburdened my soul
Archbishop of Alba Andrei Andreicut came to the seat of CNSAS tomake clarifications relating to his collaboration with the communist secret police (Securitatea). (...) After the hearing, Archbishop of Alba Andrei Andreicut said he didn't have a network file, but an informer file. Moreover, he said the Securitate harassed him during the communist regime and then he offered each journalist an issue of his book, written in 2001, "Fairy-tales makers are gone". The Archbishop of Alba said that the book contains many pages of his file and it shows he didn't do political police activities. Andrei Andreicut admitted he had collaborated with Securitatea out of constraint, but he claimed he didn't harm anyone.
Bartolomeu Anania: Interference in the BOR affairs

HH Bartolomeu, Metropolitan Bishop of Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramures, criticized in a press release the approach of CNSAS, which he considers as interference in the Church business. HH Bartolomeu Anania said he had been surprised to receive an invitation to be heard by CNSAS, and the invitation be made at the request of the Romanian Civic Forum. "Such an invitation was addressed to other colleagues from the Holy Synod as well and it was launched about the day the Romanian Orthodox Church is to elect a new Patriarch. It bears all the signs of an inconceivable interference in the internal affairs of an autonomous institution", explained Bartolomeu Anania, according to a NewsIn release. The Metropolitan Bishop of Cluj was also disturbed by the way in which he was called to hearing, at a fixed date and hour, and said this practice reminded him the "awful times when he could be taken out of his cell anytime, during the day or at nighttime, and brought through the darkness of the black-lens glasses to be interrogated by the investigators of the Securitate".
Metropolitan Bishop Daniel denies any collaboration
The Metropolitand Bishop of Moldova and Bucovina, HH Daniel, said yesterday he had no knowledge of a file on him that might attest his collaboration with the former communist secret police. Sources in the College stated last week that the name of the Metropolitan Bishop of Moldova appeared in a minute of SIE (Foreign Intelligence Service) dated 1990, which indicates the fact that he had collaborated with Securitatea, but his file had been burnt.
HH Daniel assures, for the time being, the patriarchal lieutenancy, after the death of Patriarch Teoctist.

Cristian Andrei
Ziua Marti 4 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Oh Goodness, it’s Monday !!

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

The Constitution like a boxing ring

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

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

* ----- *

Zangy Comment Graphics

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

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

We Wish You...

Zangy Comment Graphics

Friday news

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

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

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

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

It's Thursday....

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

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

* ---- *

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

* ...... *

Girly glitter comments from www.GirlyTags.com

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

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 Hi...

Zangy Comment Graphics