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Monday, September 03, 2007
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
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
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Boc hatches increased powers for the president
PD (Democrat Party) president, Emil Boc, wants that the introduction of the uninominal voting be followed by the set up, in 2008, of a committee for the constitutional reform. The Democrat leader has restated his party's proposition to increase the presidential prerogatives, on the model of France.
In essence, the PD project contains five points regarding the president's attributions. First of all, Boc wants that the president has the unconditional right to appoint the PM, as well as the right to dissolve the inferior Chamber after having consulted its spokesperson. Also, the terms of the president's taking part in the Government's meetings should be changed so that he gets the right to chair and sign the documents adopted at those meetings. In exceptional circumstances, war or natural calamities, the president might act as a republican dictator who can rule the state without any prior agreement or immediately after of the Parliament. In the fifth place, there shouldn't be any limitation of the referendum so that the population may pronounce on some bills initiated by the president. In parallel, the Government should be restricted the right to adopt emergency ordinances only for exceptional circumstances. "We have a regime that looks like an ostrich-camel, and this must stop", Boc added. He also said that PD would back up a quick voting of the Law on the uninominal voting in Pro Democratia's version. Boc's position is not a "dissidence" towards the president, who supports the uninominal in voting ballots, as hew admitted Basescu's idea was a better one. (...)
Adrian Ilie
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
In essence, the PD project contains five points regarding the president's attributions. First of all, Boc wants that the president has the unconditional right to appoint the PM, as well as the right to dissolve the inferior Chamber after having consulted its spokesperson. Also, the terms of the president's taking part in the Government's meetings should be changed so that he gets the right to chair and sign the documents adopted at those meetings. In exceptional circumstances, war or natural calamities, the president might act as a republican dictator who can rule the state without any prior agreement or immediately after of the Parliament. In the fifth place, there shouldn't be any limitation of the referendum so that the population may pronounce on some bills initiated by the president. In parallel, the Government should be restricted the right to adopt emergency ordinances only for exceptional circumstances. "We have a regime that looks like an ostrich-camel, and this must stop", Boc added. He also said that PD would back up a quick voting of the Law on the uninominal voting in Pro Democratia's version. Boc's position is not a "dissidence" towards the president, who supports the uninominal in voting ballots, as hew admitted Basescu's idea was a better one. (...)
Adrian Ilie
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Liberals, in search for their future
Adrian Iorgulescu and Varujan Vosganian have raised the problem of the PNL ideological future at the Summer school of the Liberal Youth. If Vosganian believes that the success if the EU integration imposes a rethinking of the PNL doctrine, Iorgulescu, in exchange, pleads for a unalterable maintaining of the current doctrine the way it had been conceived by the Bratianu family.
Starting from the premise hat the community acquis contains all the Liberal basic values, Vosganian said that the success of the integration has left the Liberalism without objectives. "We haven't defined yet a PNL post-integration ideology. In Europe, Liberalism is an organic element of the common people", the minister said. Consequently, Vosganian pleads for integrating into the Liberalism of some elements that are specific to other right-wing doctrines, such as Christian-democracy and conservatism. The minister explained that the abstract individualism that has been promoted so far might lead to an estrangement from the electorate.
In exchange, Adrian Iorgulescu believes that it is dangerous to give up classical Liberalism as this would help PD (Democrat Party) to push PNL toward the political left, and thus the Democrats would assume the role of the sole right-wing party. "The electoral chunk is on the right side. The battle is for the right side and PNL should stay there at any costs", said Iorgulescu. Otherwise, the Liberals would give up one of their best cards they have before the Democrats, and that is the consistency in doctrine. "Along the 133 years of tradition, we've always faced up with the challenges of the present", he concluded.
Adrian Ilie
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Liar ruler from Chishinau and blockhead subprefects from Bucharest
No matter what Vladimir Voronin does, he always manages to put his foot in it. One of his anthological come outs was the one when he said Jesus Christ belonged to the communists' party. Some other time he sympathized with those who ask for meat croquettes and are being discriminated by when they are given mincemeat balls. All in all, Vladimir Voronin broke loose from all control.
Voronin's latest come out of this kind was last week, when he ruffled again towards Romania, by saying that he had never promised he would open two new Romanian consulates ! News agencies, radio stations and journalists have rushed to browse through their audio archive. Surprise ! Voronin did say he would immediately order the opening of two new consulates on the left bank of Prut River. That is another lie to score ! There are hard times nowadays, with so many voice recorders and news agencies, of which many are so disobedient...
Voronin has another problem - and it terribly looks like the one the greedy noblemen in the Middle Age, whose poor peasants ran like peasant from their estates. The million of applications for Romanian citizenship have indicated the true attachment of the people from the left bank of Prut River to the cause of belonging to the Republic of Moldova. The communists have been generous in sponsoring pseudo-historians and pseudo-linguists, as Romania still represents an attraction. We would be naive to believe that Bessarabyan people come to Romania to speak Romanian. They come here to earn money, and the fact that they can speak Romanian makes them successful. Even the communists from Chishinau do their best businesses also in Bucharest, directly or by mediators. Voronin would like that only those with a high level of ideological background come to Bucharest, that is the ones able to distinguish between the language spoken in the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian language, between the tasty meat croquettes (parjoala, as it is called in Moldova) and the oppressive mincemeat ball (chiftea, as it is called in Romanian). Each Bessarabyan individual that crosses the Prut River self-willed, in accordance with the freedom of movement principle, constitutes a blow taken by the Voronin regime.
Each student that graduates a faculty in Romania becomes a "class enemy" for Voronin's communists. If he could, Voronin would put barbed wire at the border and would completely forbid the crossing of the river - the way Ceausescu did to protected the Romanians from the decadent West, thus keeping them prisoners in their own country.
Unfortunately, prince Voronin receives an unhoped for help from the blockhead subprefects from Bucharest. The visa scandal is part of the concert of anti-Romanian measures the communists and Voronin's secret advisors have planned. The blockhead subprefects from Bucharest have just fallen into the trap like dolts. Now it's high time that visas were delivered for a longer period, of four to five years, with multiple entries. The Romanians from the left bank of Prut River who want to come to Romania, be it only for a better living, must benefit of this right. Voronin showed too many times he would die suffocated if he uttered the sentence "I speak in the Romanian language". We need no more proofs in this respect. Given the circumstances, to go further on the option of opening two new consulates at Cahul and Balti is completely idiotic. Ten trucks full of requests for opening these consulates can be sent to Chishinau; they would be treated as waste sheets. The simplest and most efficacious option is to modify the system of granting visas, that is on three to five years, with multiple entries. One more thing ! The law on the recognition of the Romanian citizenship for the Bessarabyan people should finally be amended in the same way, i.e. in the simplest version. That supposes any court in the country can do it, and thus the million of applications won't stuff the three judges in Bucharest any longer. And Voronin should be left at Chishinau, to speak the "Moldovan" until it sets his teeth on edge...
George Damian
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Voronin's latest come out of this kind was last week, when he ruffled again towards Romania, by saying that he had never promised he would open two new Romanian consulates ! News agencies, radio stations and journalists have rushed to browse through their audio archive. Surprise ! Voronin did say he would immediately order the opening of two new consulates on the left bank of Prut River. That is another lie to score ! There are hard times nowadays, with so many voice recorders and news agencies, of which many are so disobedient...
Voronin has another problem - and it terribly looks like the one the greedy noblemen in the Middle Age, whose poor peasants ran like peasant from their estates. The million of applications for Romanian citizenship have indicated the true attachment of the people from the left bank of Prut River to the cause of belonging to the Republic of Moldova. The communists have been generous in sponsoring pseudo-historians and pseudo-linguists, as Romania still represents an attraction. We would be naive to believe that Bessarabyan people come to Romania to speak Romanian. They come here to earn money, and the fact that they can speak Romanian makes them successful. Even the communists from Chishinau do their best businesses also in Bucharest, directly or by mediators. Voronin would like that only those with a high level of ideological background come to Bucharest, that is the ones able to distinguish between the language spoken in the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian language, between the tasty meat croquettes (parjoala, as it is called in Moldova) and the oppressive mincemeat ball (chiftea, as it is called in Romanian). Each Bessarabyan individual that crosses the Prut River self-willed, in accordance with the freedom of movement principle, constitutes a blow taken by the Voronin regime.
Each student that graduates a faculty in Romania becomes a "class enemy" for Voronin's communists. If he could, Voronin would put barbed wire at the border and would completely forbid the crossing of the river - the way Ceausescu did to protected the Romanians from the decadent West, thus keeping them prisoners in their own country.
Unfortunately, prince Voronin receives an unhoped for help from the blockhead subprefects from Bucharest. The visa scandal is part of the concert of anti-Romanian measures the communists and Voronin's secret advisors have planned. The blockhead subprefects from Bucharest have just fallen into the trap like dolts. Now it's high time that visas were delivered for a longer period, of four to five years, with multiple entries. The Romanians from the left bank of Prut River who want to come to Romania, be it only for a better living, must benefit of this right. Voronin showed too many times he would die suffocated if he uttered the sentence "I speak in the Romanian language". We need no more proofs in this respect. Given the circumstances, to go further on the option of opening two new consulates at Cahul and Balti is completely idiotic. Ten trucks full of requests for opening these consulates can be sent to Chishinau; they would be treated as waste sheets. The simplest and most efficacious option is to modify the system of granting visas, that is on three to five years, with multiple entries. One more thing ! The law on the recognition of the Romanian citizenship for the Bessarabyan people should finally be amended in the same way, i.e. in the simplest version. That supposes any court in the country can do it, and thus the million of applications won't stuff the three judges in Bucharest any longer. And Voronin should be left at Chishinau, to speak the "Moldovan" until it sets his teeth on edge...
George Damian
Ziua Sambata 1 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Friday, August 31, 2007
Falling into derisory
The referendum Basescu is blackmailing the Parliament with is a false project. We shall see why. The elections for the EU are useless. We'll resume, showing the reasons. It is a dangerous solution, and also useless, to draw out of the game the institutes for market research in the electoral campaign. The same as the vote of censure that PSD (Social-Democrat Party) is about to initiate is nothing but a phantom that leads the sole left-wing party to a blind alley. It has been demonstrated why. All in all, this political fall appears to be a breakdown into derisory, the main responsible for it being no other than the head of state himself.
Why do I say blackmail ? Well, it's because Traian Basescu insists in confiscating from the legislative body the right to elaborate a solid piece of legislation, for the long run, and of a nature to produce its favourable effects to the reforming of the political class. What does the President want ? He wants to overlap a referendum for the uninominal voting to the electoral campaign for the EU Parliament, which constitutes an important test for the future local and parliamentary elections. The simple fact is immoral and not recommended by the EU. On the contrary. However, why does he do it ? It's simply because he wants to have the chance, in his position as the head of state, to talk nineteen to the dozen during the electoral campaign. By violating the Constitution and using the public funds meant not for political struggle, but to the fulfillment of the job description, he tries to intervene in force and to be favourable to one side or the other in the political life. That's all. As for the rest, admitting a referendum was organized and the President was successful, this would mean nothing from the viewpoint of reforming the political class. It is because even chickens know that, according to the Constitution, the referendum only means a positive or negative answer to a question. Its result, supposing it is a positive one, is not a substitute for a piece of legislation. A law would be promoted and adopted only later, and based on the results to this referendum. Who is to do that ? The Parliament that Basescu is blackmailing and which is against Basescu ? It is quite obvious that, unless they have got completely mad, the Romanians won't have the future elections based on the uninominal voting system. And it wouldn't be a good idea, because the parties need a relatively long period to prepare new offers for the deputies and senators. It is about a new generation, with a different background and mentality. Otherwise, in a hocus-pocus system, they can't get out from the hat something different from what it is. This way the population, being forced to choose among what can be found on the market, will eventually nominate a Parliament similar to the current one. The elections for the EU are as useless this year as the possible referendum that, by the way, the Government might avoid eventually and assume responsibility for a law that, by all means, will not coincide with the one emerged from the laboratory in Cotroceni Palace. Who will rush to go into the EU Parliament, being aware that excessive amounts of money from the state budget and also from one's own pocket will be spent on a nine-month mandate ? That's because we'll have new European Parliamentary members in January 2009. Irresponsible politicians only want to waste public money, the stakes being their mean gambolling. And taking out of the game the institutes of market research is an even bigger non-sense. It might be simpler to set up an authority subordinated to the Parliament - a kind of CNA (National Council for Audiovisual) - empowered to deliver or withdraw their license, and to check on their honesty and professionalism. We don't kill the women for few prostitutes.
Under the circumstances that the main mission of the head of state, that of a representative of Romania in the European and world concerto of states, cannot be fulfilled any longer because, as you can see, no one is willing to invite Basescu and under the circumstances in which, as an effect of the domestic quarrel, neither Tariceanu has to shake too many hands, the highest representatives of the politics in Bucharest take part in electoral canonization and in endless scandals and petty maneuvers. What a disgrace !
Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Why do I say blackmail ? Well, it's because Traian Basescu insists in confiscating from the legislative body the right to elaborate a solid piece of legislation, for the long run, and of a nature to produce its favourable effects to the reforming of the political class. What does the President want ? He wants to overlap a referendum for the uninominal voting to the electoral campaign for the EU Parliament, which constitutes an important test for the future local and parliamentary elections. The simple fact is immoral and not recommended by the EU. On the contrary. However, why does he do it ? It's simply because he wants to have the chance, in his position as the head of state, to talk nineteen to the dozen during the electoral campaign. By violating the Constitution and using the public funds meant not for political struggle, but to the fulfillment of the job description, he tries to intervene in force and to be favourable to one side or the other in the political life. That's all. As for the rest, admitting a referendum was organized and the President was successful, this would mean nothing from the viewpoint of reforming the political class. It is because even chickens know that, according to the Constitution, the referendum only means a positive or negative answer to a question. Its result, supposing it is a positive one, is not a substitute for a piece of legislation. A law would be promoted and adopted only later, and based on the results to this referendum. Who is to do that ? The Parliament that Basescu is blackmailing and which is against Basescu ? It is quite obvious that, unless they have got completely mad, the Romanians won't have the future elections based on the uninominal voting system. And it wouldn't be a good idea, because the parties need a relatively long period to prepare new offers for the deputies and senators. It is about a new generation, with a different background and mentality. Otherwise, in a hocus-pocus system, they can't get out from the hat something different from what it is. This way the population, being forced to choose among what can be found on the market, will eventually nominate a Parliament similar to the current one. The elections for the EU are as useless this year as the possible referendum that, by the way, the Government might avoid eventually and assume responsibility for a law that, by all means, will not coincide with the one emerged from the laboratory in Cotroceni Palace. Who will rush to go into the EU Parliament, being aware that excessive amounts of money from the state budget and also from one's own pocket will be spent on a nine-month mandate ? That's because we'll have new European Parliamentary members in January 2009. Irresponsible politicians only want to waste public money, the stakes being their mean gambolling. And taking out of the game the institutes of market research is an even bigger non-sense. It might be simpler to set up an authority subordinated to the Parliament - a kind of CNA (National Council for Audiovisual) - empowered to deliver or withdraw their license, and to check on their honesty and professionalism. We don't kill the women for few prostitutes.
Under the circumstances that the main mission of the head of state, that of a representative of Romania in the European and world concerto of states, cannot be fulfilled any longer because, as you can see, no one is willing to invite Basescu and under the circumstances in which, as an effect of the domestic quarrel, neither Tariceanu has to shake too many hands, the highest representatives of the politics in Bucharest take part in electoral canonization and in endless scandals and petty maneuvers. What a disgrace !
Sorin Rosca Stanescu
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
PD loses points
If Euro-elections were to take place next Sunday, PD (Democrat Party) would get 34% of the Romanians' votes, by eight points less than in July (42.6%), according to a poll made by the Company of Sociological Research and Branding (CCSB) in 3-15 August. According to this study, PD is followed in the top of the voting intent by PSD (Social-Democrat Party) - 19%, PNL (National Liberal Party) - 17% (increasing by almost four points as compared to July), PNG (New Generation Party) - 8% and PRM (Greater Romania Party) - 5%. PC (Conservative Party) and UDMR (Democratic Union of the Magyars in Romania) are placed right below the electoral threshold, with 4%. As far as the elections for the Romanian Parliament are concerned, the voting intent places PD on top with 35%, followed by PNL -18%, PSD -17%, PNGCD (New Generation Party - Christian Democratic) - 9%, PRM - 5%, PC - 4%, UDMR - 4%. As for the confidence in politicians, President Traian Basescu is on the first place, with 58%, followed by Gigi Becali (New Generation Party) - 35%, Sorin Oprescu (Social-Democrat Party) - 31%, Theodor Stolojan (National Liberal Democratic Party) - 30%, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu - 28%, Emil Boc - 26%, Mircea Geoana - 26%. The study, ordered by Antena 1 TV station, is representative at national level, and has been carried out on a population sample of 1021 individuals with right to vote, the tolerated error being of plus/minus 3%.
R.I.P.
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
R.I.P.
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Melescanu evaluates PSD vote of censure
PNL (National Liberal Party) vice-president Teodor Melescanu stated yesterday at the TNL (National Liberal Youth) Summer School at Costinesti that, speaking of the vote of censure they've announced, the Social Democrats have two options: "either they get into a mess, or they make a fool of themselves". Melescanu claimed there are good chances that this vote of censure doesn't pass. When one of the young Liberals asked him about the PSD vote of censure, Melescanu explained that it represents a constitutional procedure that any party in opposition has the right to make use of. "However, I consider that a vote of censure must be of a serious nature. It must also have a credible motivation. In fact, I don't know what this Government is being reproached because it's been only five months since it has been functioning", the Liberal vice-president said, as quoted by Mediafax. He ironically added that he expects the PD (Democrat Party) representatives to "oppose vehemently such a vote of censure". He also said the Liberals would go "their head up" into the Parliament, the vote of censure being a good opportunity for the Executive to sum up. As far as PSD is concerned, Melescanu claimed that Mircea Geoana's party finds itself in a very difficult position. (...)
Razvan Gheorghe
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Razvan Gheorghe
Ziua Vineri 31 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Electoral campaign for PD on public money
Traian Basescu cannot surpass his condition as a PD (Democrat Party) leader. It's not only that it doesn't manage to, albeit he doesn't even try to be the president of all Romanians. He keeps on attacking all the parliamentary parties, except for the Democrat Party. He keeps on expressing publicly as if he weren't the head of the state, but a ship commander stopped over in a market or whorehouses. It is even more serous the fact that he does it in the international relations as well, with the sole counterpart he still has a dialogue, be it a conflictual one, and be it at a distance. It is about the President of the Republic of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin. What comes out is but mutual profanities. Oh, sweet Romania.
As a matter of fact, it's been two months now since president Basescu has been on holiday. He moved his work office at Neptun, in Ceausescu's villa, after having halted to the villas Ceausescu used to go to, in Covasna and Harghita. Moreover, he asked the Government that a certain protocol villa was not to be privatized, but to be at his disposal. If, against all reason, PM Tariceanu or any other politician from any other political party had expressed such a request, the Cotroceni Palace and the PD would have winced as if lashed. However, the president of the country can afford everything. He is more equal than everybody.
Whenever he doers not want others where he is and what he is doing, no one knows where he is and what he is doing. Whenever it is reported where he is and the press goes there to relate about what he is doing, Basescu appears to be hit in his private life. He especially lets the journalists know so as to offer his usual public representations against the press. But, as the American say, two are needed for doing that. If the press ignored him, the tenant at Cotroceni Palace would give up putting on frills. And he would probably give up the position, as the people forgot him. President Basescu, without a media exposure ? As Moromete would have said, such a thing does not exist.
The Romanian press cannot afford such an embargo. It is a vicious circle. The TV stations broadcast live every presidential sneeze, the written press takes it over and comments upon it, be it highly, or critically, and sometimes they even analyze it. Why has the president sneezed ? If it is about an allergy, he must be taken to the Liberal cat, as it always falls upright. It is what will happen at the next vote of censure, in case it is initiated. Anyway, the Cotroceni Palace and PD are treating the matter as a challenge: ok, let's see, do you have the guts to initiate it ?
It is as if president Basescu had been in such a cool blood after the suspension procedure to resign. It's the head of state himself who has created the precedent of changing one's mind, before PSD. If he hadn't kept his word, why would PSD do so ? Only because PD wants to remove PNL (National Liberal Party) ? Actually, PD does not want to get in power now, as it would break its neck in a year. It prefers early elections. On the other hand, PSD (Social Democrat Party) might want to be in power, and try to reverse the public opinion from the conviction that Government Tariceanu has increased the pensions. However, it can't, as it would only be used and thrown overboard.
President Basescu deals with the idea of the vote of censure with a parti pris and in a sabotaging way. He expresses his skepticism about the implementation of the procedure, invoking the cliché that PSD would collaborate with PNL. He does that in an attempt to make the public opinion forget that PD is the one collaborating with PSD, for instance when the SRI director has to be assigned the former head of the Parliamentary Committee for National Defense as he had dealt with classified files.
Another presidential diversion is the uninominal voting, of which the population has no idea what it means. Almost provoking a collective orgasm in the PD women's organization, president Basescu has threatened he would introduce a referendum simultaneously with the Europarliamentary elections, as if the decision wasn't to get to the Parliament anyway. Basescu actually wants to campaign for PD on public money. That is all.
Roxana Iordache
Ziua Joi 30 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Geoana attacks CNSAS
Mircea Geoana wants that the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) access to the files of the BOR (Romanian Orthodox Church) representatives be restricted, being decided to initiate a legislative project in this respect. The PSD (Social-Democrat Party) leader stated yesterday that he wishes to protect the Orthodox Church against the dirty assaults that have been launched lately, meant to besmear a national symbol. Several CNSAS members have rejected the idea from the very beginning, by considering it an electoral move.
The Social-Democrat leader hurried to defend the high clergy, whose files CNSAS has begun to check up, and wants that this check up be stopped. (...) The PSD chairman criticized the fact that dirty weapons are being used in the campaign for the election of the new Patriarch and he asked for their condemnation. Geoana spoke about political scheme, which high clerks are subject to, and asked the political class to stop the assaults against the Church. Moreover, Mircea Geoana appreciated that the Church defended, during the communist regime, the interests of the Romanian people.
Naive child
Mircea Dinescu amused himself when he heard the proposition of the PSD leader Mircea Geoana, and characterized him as a "naive child, who believes the people love the priests". Dinescu said he perceived the Social-Democrat leader as a gesture for the electoral campaign. He mentioned that other social categories could also ask for their being outlawed and that is why he considers Mircea Geoana's proposition as a discriminatory one. Sources inside CNSAS told us there were signs inside CNSAS that PSD was preparing such a project to increase in polls. They told us that no matter what the Social Democrats would do, the process the College have begun on the checking up of some high clerks cannot be stopped now.
Electoral gesture
Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu expressed his surprise about Mircea Geoana's intervention and he only considers it an electoral gesture. "If this matter caused him pain, he should have thought of it when the CNSAS law was voted. He is not doing a good turn to the Church; on the contrary, he might do a good turn to some people holding some positions within its hierarchy. I'm afraid that it's other people's turn tomorrow, of other social categories, who had signed a pact with the Securitate (former communist secret police), and other party leaders might ask us to outlaw them", said Ticu Dumitrescu. He pointed out that if this approach is carried out, no one knows what the CNSAS role is any longer. However, Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu added that the MPs are sovereign and it is on them to decide on the modification of the law on the functioning of the CNSAS.
Cristian Andrei
Ziua Joi 30 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
APD: President, predictable
Chairman of Pro Democratia Association (APD) Cristian Parvulescu appreciates that the uninominal two-round voting system, preferred by the head of state, is not opposed to that proposed by APD, the announcement Traian Basescu made on Tuesday being a predictable one. "The president's announcement doesn't surprise me. Traian Basescu was predictable. In fact, I don't consider the president's gesture was an unfriendly one, on the contrary, I take it strictly as an invitation for the parliamentary parties to finish the work they have begun", stated Parvulescu, as quoted by Mediafax. He supported his theory invoking the reason why Basescu announced that he would choose the alternative in two rounds for the introduction of the uninominal voting, as it is the easiest to explain to the population. Parvulescu said that the head of state in not in opposition with the principles of the ADP project.
R.I.P.
Ziua Joi 30 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Basescu's help
A villa stolen by a buddy of President Traian Basescu's is now the central headquarters of the PLD (Liberal Democrat Party). The house on 148 Vasile Lascar Street in the center of Bucharest was also used by the President when he was campaigning before the referendum meant to get him suspended.
Razvan Toader, the man who made the villa available to the PLD and the head of state, is a character close to Traian Basescu. At the time the latter was a general mayor of Bucharest, Razvan Toader was a general secretary of the City Hall. He was suspected of involvement in some fishy real estate business.
One of the transactions casting suspicion is the villa at stake. Razvan Toader's mother got to own it by means of several faked documents. The lawful owner addressed Justice and he is now trying to get it back.
But Theodor Stolojan's Liberal-Democrats don't seem to worry about the uncertain status of the house now sheltering their central headquarters. Furthermore, the 'presidential party' is getting ready to make Razvan Toader one of its parliamentarians. This is how the ex general secretary in the Bucharest City will be paid in exchange for the insignificant money he gains by renting the villa in the center of Bucharest. (...)
M.G.
Ziua Marti 28 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
Iliescu laundered completely
"The record of Ion Iliescu did not exist or it was cleaned", said yesterday Dorin Dobrincu, a head of the National Archives. It is to be reminded that before 1989 the ex President of Romania was a secretary of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, a vice president of the district council in Timis (in 1971-1974) and also a president of the district council in Iasi (1974-1979).
The CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) reached a decision favorable to Ion Iliescu, mentioning they had no record on his name from the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania). Still both the President of Romania Traian Basescu and the Marius Oprea, a president of the Institute for Investigations on Communist Crimes, expressed opinion that there must be a record of Ion Iliescu as member of the Romanian Communist Party. "It is hard for me to think there are no records of the former regime's officials", President Basescu commented, adding that each member of the Communist staff used to have a record, just like "any of us has probably got a record in the company he/she works for".
Marius Oprea explained one year ago that, given the CNSAS law, Ion Iliescu would probably be declared not to have collaborated with the ex Securitate, which was bewildering, since "some ordinary informer must get under public rebuke". According to Marius Oprea, during the Communist regime Ion Iliescu, a first secretary of the Communist Party in Iasi, would give permission to the ex Securitate to recruit informers. Marius Oprea also claimed Ion Iliescu would decide that certain party members, undesirable to the ex Securitate, should be watched or have their homes bugged.
C.A.
Ziua Marti 28 August 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english
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