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

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

HELLO !

Zangy Comment Graphics

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 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

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

'Sex ambassadress' thought about killing Laurentiu Fulga

According to email between Stefan Pascal Lucineanu and Manuela Vulpe, Romania's ambassadress to Mexico, the man introducing himself as member of PM Tariceanu's strategy team offered to do away with the administrator of the www.spiritofromania.com with help from the Russian mafia in Sydney.
The ZIUA email address was reached yesterday by an email from John I. Pop, containing the emails between Stefan Pascal Lucineanu and Manuela Vulpe. In the email Pascal announces Manuela Vulpe he can see that Laurentiu Fulga, a Romanian who lives in Australia and is editor of the 'Spirit Romanesc' magazine, is done away with by the Russian mafia.
It is to be reminded that Laurentiu Fulga is the man who posted on the www. spiritofromania.com the emails between the Romanian ambassadress and Teodor Baconski, formerly a Romanian Presidency adviser, at present an ambassador to Paris, showing the two had an affair. He also posted the emails between the ambassadress and Dorin Marian, head the Romanian PM's Chancellery, with Vulpe asking the latter to help her buy a flat rented from the Self-Governing Department for Administration of the State Heritage and Protocol.
Here is a short fragment from an email sent by Stefan Pascal Lucineanu, claiming to have worked for the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to ambassadress Vulpe: "These guys (most of them Russian) will give F. (Fulga) a warning. Unless he is receptive, something bad will happen. What ? A misfortunate car crash". You can read the Romanian version of the entire email at www.ziua.net.

O.R. & George Tarata
Ziua Joi 16 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Cook for mafia

There has lately been taken much interest in the business of Cristian Boureanu, a deputy representing the PLD (Liberal Democrat Party), because some of his companies, the ones he is associated to or owner of, are on the list of companies indebted to the state budget, regularly posted on the Finance Ministry website. But they are not just any companies. They are business partners of the Ritzio casino Russian group, suspected of laundering the money from South American cartels. Boureanu was in charge of providing food and drinks to the mafia's guests. (...)
One of Boureanu's companies supplied caviar and drinks to 14 casinos of the Ritzio group for years. One owner of the latter Russian group is suspected of laundering money from South American cartels.
His business with Russian mafia men hiding in off-shores registered in Cyprus focussed on renting room in some casinos in Bucharest and the big cities. The trade went all right until early this year, when the Russians would no longer pay and cheated on the PLD deputy with more than 1 million ROL.
The deputy claims he hasn't been involved in the business at all, since he is a deputy disallowed to do this. He says the experienced administrator of his company decided on the partnership.
The Ritzio group does business in Russia, Ukraine, Kazahstan and the Baltic States. It has recently entered the Romanian market and it has now got 22 locations. Behind the Ritzio group, established in 2002, there are the Russian billionaires Oleg Boiko and Boris Belotserkovsky. The two of them owned 10% of Russia's gambling industry. In 2006, the group invaded Latin America all of sudden, reaching states like Bolivia, Peru and Mexico. According to sources, Oleg Boiko does business with the Latin American cartels. The Ritzio group is now facing Russian President Vladimir Putin, who wants to remove their casinos from Russian cities.

D.I.
Ziua Joi 16 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Boureanu's rise

In the front page of today's newspaper you can read surprising information in the report called "Cook for Mafia" and authored by my colleagues working for the Investigation Department. The well-known and popular politician Cristian Boureanu is at stake. He is a young, clever and educated politician who doesn't show emotion in front of TV cameras. He is spontaneous and aggressive whenever necessary. How come there is such praise of a character today's report tackles ? Is this contradiction by any chance ? Or editorial incoherence ?
By analyzing the Cristian Boureanu case we are actually proceeding to a journalistic initiative whose complexity is as profound as the idea of a reality with no angels and devils, but just with better and much worse people. As normal in the case of a politician enjoying impressing notoriety, it is true that investigative journalists are interested in reaching uneasy truths. On the other hand, the politician may enjoy the presumption of innocence until the clues or journalistic evidence are fully confirmed. Furthermore, we can even throw him a ball to catch, especially at times when the PLD (Liberal Democrat Party) is going through an extremely complex ticking race. And we wouldn't want to be suspected of standing by Stoica's games against Boureanu.
The newest Romanian party has reached a crossroads. Will the Liberals now in the PLD, together with the PD (Democrat Party), get power, in case the latter party wins elections ? Unless the PLD finds a convenient means for cohabitation with the PD, does this party stand another chance to achieve the minimum electoral score of 5% required ? No matter how strange it may seem, the answers to such questions also depend on the outcome of the domestic political confrontation Cristian Boureanu is part of. Since he is a vice president, what else can he pursue, except for leadership ?
If we simplify the scenarios on the PLD, it can be said that the party's odds for political survival and representation in Romania's future Parliament are poor or zero, unless the PLD finds a means to cling to the PD fast. If the PLD becomes the ally of the PD, Theodor Stolojan, leader of the former party, will leave, sooner or later. But he won't be sacked. He will just leave because he makes a team with Traian Basescu, one way or the other. He is hopeful that, just like the President promised, he will become a PM.
Given this, leadership over the PLD has turned into a target for dispute, as natural in politics. Given the notoriety of characters, their experience and real political force, right now there are only three applicants: Valeriu Stoica, Gheorghe Flutur and Cristian Boureanu. What chance is the last one standing ?
The leadership over the PLD depends to a great extent on the way the most important confrontation within the party, the one concerning the leadership over the Bucharest branch, is progressing. Just like in other parties, the man who heads the main branch is actually the one who rules. This is Boureanu's pursuit and therefore he wants to defeat Valeriu Stoica and have Gheorghe Flutur on his side.
In today's meeting of the PLD Executive Committee they may consider the idea of an interim president to head the Bucharest branch and appoint Boureanu, only if he is strong enough to push things to such a denouement and avoid the voting. He isn't quite ready for the voting and in such case he may get to feel the grudge of sly Valeriu Stoica.

Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Joi 16 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

National Anti-Corruption Department hides Golden Blitz group

A few days ago the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) demanded the Prosecutor's Office publicly to release the criminal cases against PD (Democrat Party) leaders and businessmen in connection to the latter, cases hidden in some prosecutors' drawers. This public demand is also on the "Golden Blitz" group of interests, close to Romanian President Traian Basescu and now famous for how easy they grabbed the most profitable contracts on building national roads and highways. One of the bulkiest corruption cases deadlocked in the DNA (National Anti-Corruption Department) regards the "Golden Blitz" group.
ZIUA has reached the conclusions in the report by the National Control Agency on the auction held in the summer if 2006. By fake auction a contract of more than 200 million Euro got to the joint venture made up of SC Spedition UMB SRL , SC PA&CO International SRL, SC Euroconstruct Trading 98 SRL and Com-Axa SRL. President Basescu's good friends own the latter companies. (...)
Basescu's directions
"Take a careful look at the Romanian economic agents. Take a look at the great failures in Romanian infrastructure, whether it is about the Bucharest-Pitesti highway or about rebuilt national roads that failed. You will always find foreign general entrepreneurs and Romanian companies underneath", President Basescu was saying. He claimed the transport minister was to find a solution to consolidate Romanian economy agents by inviting them to proceed to joint and thus resist competition. "Call them and ask them to get associated so that they can participate in the substantial auctions to come. Give Romanian builders a chance !", he asked.
The directions were followed at once and the deadline for submitting offers together with the requirements for auction participants were changed so that the respective companies, which had never built a minimum of 40 kilometers of highway, could prove other accomplishments. It was the very "invention" the "Golden Blitz" group needed to join the competition. The President's friends established the joint venture Spedition UMB SRL (Dorinel Umbrarescu), PA & CO International SRL (Costel Casuneanu), Euroconstruct Trading '98 SRL (Dan Besciu and Sorin Serban Vulpescu), COM-AXA SRL (Dorinel Umbraescu). They won the action in spite of offering an unbelievably small price of 199, 97 million Euro. Experts say it is about 25-30 million Euro smaller than the real one. They were therefore relying on a future raise of the price by additional documents so that the losses would be covered for and profit would be attractive.

Razvan Savaliuc
Ziua Miercuri 15 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Classified abuse

Prosecutors, the intelligence services and the executive power make use of the aberrant Law 51/ 1991 on national security in order to coordinate criminal trials.
Prosecutors refuse to show judges authorizations for phone call interception by invoking the "secret of state". It is only the government who may declassify the interception, at the motivated request of the secret services invoking the secret. According to a decision reached by Bucharest Court of Appeal, "the court's access to it depends exclusively on the executive power thus interfering in the progress of a criminal trial, which is unacceptable and incompatible to the rule of law and the principle of separation of powers in state".
When facing actually illegal evidence, judges may dismiss it and thus get famous criminals away with it. This was the scenario used on the Camataru brothers. The Interior Ministry classified their intercepted phone calls.
Judges may also transfer cases to courts with magistrates having an ORNISS certificate, but in such case the principle of random distribution of criminal cases is disobeyed and suspicion on impartiality arises. The Bucharest Court of Appeal also mentions that "Romanian legislation on national security is not in keeping with the European Convention of Human Rights", just as it is interference in the use of the right to mail. (...)

Bogdan Galca
Ziua Miercuri 15 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

PSD up to Basescu

Yesterday Mircea Geoana got unbound in the last minute and he announced the death sentence for the 2nd Tariceanu Cabinet by September 10, claiming the government's inefficiency was killing to national interest and that the government was to be blamed for Romanians' impossibility to enjoy the advantages of economy growth, a situation lasting seven years. According to the leader, the decision of the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) members was unanimous. In fact, the PSD has no longer a choice. Double language may soon prove suicide. What is next? Either Mircea Geoana proceeds to a bluff, under terrible pressure from the electorate and the PSD branches, which means the PSD MPs won't be doing their best to overthrow the government. Or the Parliament passes the bill against the government. In such case, the Liberal government is history. But this is how Geoana will be up to Basescu.
The truth is that the PSD leader is under assail by his own party because the PSD is losing electorate, at least this is what opinion polls are showing. But in order to get power again the PSD needs a minimum of 30% from the total of polls in the parliamentary elections. And the PSD will have to pass the local election test in order to get the 30%. Unless the Social-Democrats win local elections and have enough power in the territory early next year, it is hard to assume that the party will win the parliamentary elections due in the autumn of 2008.
And the election of MEPs in Romania is to take place in the meantime. Even if this is not decisive for the domestic political dispute, it is an important clue about various parties' force. The outcome of it may effect in advantage or psychological disadvantage and have consequences over the vulnerable electorate. The explanation to this bizarre phenomenon of a party in the opposition losing points instead of gaining points in the second term of the present electoral cycle ? It is the outcome of a dramatic process: the PSD has been in the opposition since December 2004, but it is perceived rather as an ally of the Tariceanu governments because of flirting with the Liberals. The PD (Democrat Party), until recently in alliance with the PNL (National Liberal Party), looks like a more authentic opposition party. It was the same even when the PD was in power. Traian Basescu is still perceived as leader of this party rather than a head of state. And his offensive against the Liberals has been ceaseless. This game played for the sake of the image costs the Social-Democrats votes. Since the Democrats have proclaimed themselves a right people's party overnight, the PSD, finally the only left party, may find it easy to win the electoral confrontations in 2008 and take over again. Unless so, the PSD will face disaster or the beginning of the end, especially that this party is keener than all the other parties together on the privileges of power.
Given these, the local PSD leaders have started greater and greater pressure on Mircea Geoana, forcing him into changing attitude, dropping double language and proceeding to real opposition. It can only effect in the overthrowing of the government. It is this top to bottom response on which depend the games for power at high level in the PSD. The central barons are relying on the repositioning of the main centres within the party, even for passing the political baton from one hand to the other.
Now, if the PSD is truly determined to overthrow the Tariceanu government, the party will pay a lot for the naivete of having trusted changing political partners when to dismiss Basescu was the issue at stake. And the PSD didn't mobilize their electorate to a great extent. Basescu may cease to be a president-spectator and tourist to Covasna and Harghita and turn into a president-player due to the very PSD, since it is only the head of state who may appoint a new PM.

Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Miercuri 15 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Traian Basescu's Romanian dilemma

Traian Basescu will have to release a decision that may make public opinion hot at once and have rather hard to predict effects on the precious thing he treasures most: electoral points. Will he support a project such as the autonomy of the Secui (Magyar-origin community in Transylvania) county or not ?
On the one hand, politician Basescu gave a very firm negative response to the idea of autonomy on ethnic criteria and therefore Romania has from the very beginning opposed the Ahtisaari plan on Kosovo. If you remember, to some people's stupor, Basescu said he had a plan of his own to find a solution to the Kosovo issue. But it didn't come out presently, as the full ignorance of Basescu's view and offer was also accompanied by multiple pressure from both the Americans and the Europeans, asking Romania to take distance from Russia's inflexible view. Our President was as silent as the grave, the government spoke up to say Romania's final view would be the EU view.
In February 2007 Traian Basescu was firm again, saying the referendum arranged by the National County of the Secui on autonomy was "illegal". He argued: "When they try to capitalize the outcome of this test, Romania will unhesitatingly apply the Constitution and Romanian laws". Right. Things seemed clear for good, since the President of Romania himself spoke up.
The problem is that, fearless as they are of President Basescu's opinions, the Secui transferred the issue to Brussels at once. In the Parliament of Europe, the issue of the Secui county's autonomy has already reached a political group's claim agenda. But I don't think Traian Basescu is impressed with what they say or do in Brussels, since he knows his electorate is forced by the media into showing much more interest in the hunting of the garbage piled close to Bucharest than in any EU community decision.
It is just that things have changed all of a sudden as there has emerged a possibility such as an agreement between the UDMR (Democrat Union of Magyars in Romania) and the National Magyar Council, which may make bishop Tokes top the list of candidates for the election of MEPs in Romania and get him polls from a large number of Magyar community members. Unless Traian Basescu changes his mind suddenly and agrees to the Secui's autonomy, at European level bishop Laszlo Tokes may become the only adversary for our President to fear indeed. Laszlo Tokes has got knowledge of politics and international support, but, above all, his name is a political brand already and he has got into history already. And his voice will be heard in the first row of seats in the Parliament of Europe, as I don't think the Romanian Democrats' delegation will succeed with the attempt to get rid of the UDMR, in case Tokes heads the their delegation...
What will Basescu do in such a case ? As far as Kosovo is concerned, things are clear. He will have to be in keeping with the EU decision. He may surrender in the Secui issue as well, which will be described as a need to fit the European trend. Or on the contrary, he will stick to the initial view, remain a firm opponent of ethnic-based autonomy and deny the possibility to grant collective rights. The future of Romanian politics depends on this decision and on parties' views to a great extent, anyway. The debate on a new Constitution in Romania depends on it too.

Cristian Unteanu
Ziua Marti 14 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Pell-mell seizes CNSAS

The members of the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) have failed to reach consensus regarding the checks on the high clergy in the Romanian Orthodox Church, although a new Patriarch is to be elected in less than a month.
CNSAS had expected a quiet summer, but the Romanian Patriarch's death did away with the idea. The sides in the CNSAS have taken up recriminations again. The issue at stake is the checks on the past of the Holy Synod members and on the candidates aspiring to head the Romanian Orthodox Church. The uncertainty and confusion prevailing in the CNSAS is a clue that a confrontation will emerge and intensify soon, as the election of a Patriarch is approaching.
The first to make an enflaming statement was Mircea Dinescu in his recent announcement that the Holy Synod members would be checked and questioned by September 12. It seemed to be a CNSAS decision, but surprise emerged.
Several CNSAS members claimed having got no idea about such a decision and described Mircea Dinescu's words as untrue. CNSAS member Laurentiu Tanase commented: "If during the next CNSAS meeting there come out cases on the Church officials, there will be doubt on the person who ordered it and changed the priorities of the CNSAS." (...)
Deadline: September 12
According to the status of the Romanian Orthodox Church, the candidates to run in the election of a future Patriarch are decided on in the very day of election by the Electors' College. Such selection of candidates gives hard times to the CNSAS, as the institution will have to check on all the members of the Holy Synod. Although several CNSAS members are on leave or have gone through personal family problems, the officials decided that several heads of the Romanian Orthodox Church would be checked on. CNSAS sources claim the decision was made in a hurry and due to the insistence of Mircea Dinescu and more members. It is to be mentioned that the technical staff is on leave this month and several CNSAS members didn't attend the meetings. (...)

Cristian Andrei
Ziua Marti 14 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

NATO summit in Bucharest to cost $ 30 million

Adrian Cioroianu, Romania's foreign minister, mentioned yesterday that the NATO summit to take place in Bucharest in April 2-4, 2008, with 48 state presidents and prime ministers and 3,000 delegates attending, would cost about $ 30-35 million. The minister announced: "I can't say the exact costs. But I know that every host country of the NATO summits in Istanbul and Riga spent $ 30-35 million. It is very likely that we should face similar expenses".
According to Victor Micula, a subsecretary in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the auction meant to select a travel agency to see to accommodation in Bucharest hotels for the 3,000 delegates took place last Monday. (...)

L.P.
Ziua Marti 14 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

SRI empire

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-- ZIUA is the first to provide you with a scheme of the phone call intercepting the SRI (Romanian Secret Service), headed by George Maior, has got absolute control of, as far as all the information is concerned.
Because of the outdated legislation and of no national center for interception, all phone wires reach the SRI. The National Anti-Corruption Department, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the UM 0962, the Department to Fight and Prevent Organized Crime and Terrorism and the Intelligence Department in the Ministry of Defense have to ask for surveillance via the SRI and it is from the SRI as well that information reaches them. In fact, the SRI officials and the people who use the data know what evidence prosecutors have got, even when the evidence is on someone in their scope.
On grounds of an authorization signed by a prosecutor or of a warrant released by a judge, the SRI demands phone operators to intercept some phone calls just when people are on the phone. Telecommunication service providers are shown neither the warrant nor the reason for such intercepting, as it is all up to the SRI decision, just as the emerging information is.
The secret services use their own intercepting equipment illegally. The outcome may not be used in court, but it becomes an instrument for blackmail. (...)

Razvan Savaliuc
Ziua luni 13 august 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Lustration law and things made clear

In the malefic politics hierarchy, our life in postcommunism has been more harmed by the occult moves made in December 1989 and in June 1990 by the FSN (Front for National Salvation) members in power than by what happened in the last communist decade. In the last years of the totalitarian regime, the Communists would consolidate their domination in keeping with the system's outlook and no one was expecting something good to happen any more. The political decisions made by Ion Iliescu and his gang in December 1989 and June 1990 compromised the democratization process just when everyone was expecting what was best.
Therefore civil society representatives' claim that the lustration should ban the access to public opinions for those guilty of the events in 1989 and the coal miners' attacks is based on juridical, logical and ethical criteria more than those promoting lustration at any costs for the last years of communism and just for those enjoying high ranks in a bureaucratic hierarchy engulfing the entire society. The plotting of plans for repression, murder, manipulation and the committing of such deeds were facts much more severe than the obedience and profiteering of some people, who had no choice or courage to escape the totalitarian influence. Those involved in the events in December 1989 and the coal miners' attacks in 1990 and 1991 were the second and third hand staff of the nomenclature and the political police services. Although they had the right solutions of the open society at hand, they chose the malefic scenarios because they wanted so. They thought they were allowed to do anything, because they enjoyed support from millions of brainwashed people thinking that the execution of the Ceausescu couple meant the end of the communist dictatorship. They will have to pay now.
Despite the obstacles set against democratization and capitalism by the FSN conservatives, they went on presently. But after realizing how much they had harmed the nation by helping Iliescu and Romania do misdeeds, lots of councilors, activists, ministers, presidents and more chose different ways. The list is long, but their deeds (and advice) have been forgotten.
They stood by Iliescu and Roman in December 1989. If the request to enlarge the categories the lustration law is on is met, it will effect on all the parties. And this is not about surprises of the Mona Musca kind, but about politicians and civil society representatives whose biographies are built on the association with the rulers in December 1989-June 1990. In was in this period that the foundations of the corrupted and clientele-based democracy were achieved. And the system is still alive. Some will even be candidates to seats in the Parliament of Europe. The campaign for a clean Parliament mustn't ignore them.
Although the settling of clearer criteria for lustration is welcome, the state of things is more complicated. If the new lustration criteria get to be applied, this will harm a few hundred of those accomplices in December 1989, as well as in the four coal miners' attacks in 1990 and 1991. The fact that they chose a different kind of politics after these events doesn't delete their malefic association to the rulers of the respective times, since they had a choice, unlike under the communist regime. Now those who will vote for the law will make a choice. And many of them are in that category of the 1989-1991 accomplices. A vicious circle.

Dan Pavel
Ziua luni 13 august 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english