Monday, February 4, 2008
* NEWS *
EDITORIAL
The unconstitutionality of the rule of law – Cristian Unteanu – Ziua – read here -
“The issue emerging now in relation to the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) is very serious, if we approach it in terms different than those of domestic politics. A decision claiming that the institution is unconstitutional and therefore all its verdicts will be annulled delivers a hallucinating message to our European and Euro-Atlantic partners: from now on any fundamental state institution can undergo similar dissolution, given such an example”.POLITICS
Civil society protests to support CNSAS – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -“A few hundred Romanians protested yesterday in the University Square, Bucharest, against the Constitutional Court's decision to annihilate the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive in Romania). The demonstrators demanded the Constitutional Court judges should resign. The participants to this action initiated by 25 NGOs summoned both government and Parliament to find a solution fast so that the ex political police would continue to be unmasked. They also asked for change of the legislation so that the Constitutional Court might be revoked. By the fountain next to the School of Architecture, the youth representing the Spiritual Militia cried about against the blue-eyed guys in the Constitutional Court. Hooligans' Hymn warmed the atmosphere up and the people who had also protested in the 1989 Revolution got to anti-communist slogans. Mircea Toma, representing the Press Monitor Agency, told the crowd there that the best solution would be for the Constitutional Court members to resign for honor's sake, but he admitted they won't. Mircea Toma asked the demonstrators to go on protesting in the same place at 2: p.m. each and every day. On the other hand, he asked the CNSAS to release information about the past of the Constitutional Court members to the public“.
Government stands by CNSAS – Razvan Gheorghe – Ziua – read here -“Civil society members were out in the University square, Bucharest, yesterday, to ask that the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archives) should get its rights back. Under public opinion pressure, Romanian officials have promised to settle the matter this Wednesday by means of an emergency ordinance. Protests continue and there are more adepts. The CNSAS is an institution to be consolidated instead of dismembered, His Majesty King Michael comments. Marius Oprea and Stejarel Olaru, two representatives of the PNL (National Liberal Party), are meeting today with the representatives of the CNSAS (National Council for Research on the Communist Secret Service Archive) to decide on the contents of an emergency ordinance to be released by the government on Wednesday, in order to make the status of the CNSAS clear. Liberal Stejarel Olaru, a historian and also the Romanian PM's personal adviser, commented: "Tomorrow we are meeting with the representatives of the CNSAS to elaborate a project on an emergency ordinance to settle the activity if the CNSAS so that the unveiling of the ex Securitate (Communist Secret Service in Romania) as political police would continue. The government is most likely to release this emergency ordinance next Wednesday". He explained: "As for the transfer of the CNSAS archive to the Institute for Investigation on Communist Crimes, there is only an emergency possibility for there are no others. We will manage to settle the situations, we no longer need an emergency solution" ”.
LATEST
Sarkozy in Bucharest – Rompres – Ziua – read here -“The President of France Nicolas Sarkozy is to arrive to Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, Romania, in the afternoon and after his meeting with the President of Romania Traian Basescu the two officials are to sign a common declaration to apply a strategic partnership between Romania and France. Later this afternoon the French President is going to meet with the Romanian PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu and then deliver a speech in the Romanian Parliament. During his visit to Bucharest Nicolas Sarkozy isn't going to sign any commercial agreement with Romania, given previous accusation concerning the corruption in Romania, according to a French Presidency source. Sarkozy's 1-day visit to Bucharest is part of a tour he is making in the European capital cities before France gets presidency over the EU, which is due in the second term of 2008. The French community in Romania has invited the French President to a cocktail in the Marriott Hotel, meant to honor his visit”.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
* NEWS *
EDITORIAL
New man, charge and parking – Iulia Popovici – Ziua – read here -
“A society that pays overprice for informal charges (on time, irritation and other people's disinterest) derived from the state body's imperfections can't take a new official accise, a poorly motivated one (how come you should pay a charge for what your car will do from now on ?). A society can only take it for spit in the face and the urge to public debate can only been perceived as alternative to kicking the wheels of your neighbor's car. The first car matriculation (and last pollution) fee is the supreme essence of the Romanian state's relations with Romanians. "We pretend not to fool you and you pretend you pay" is the line reaching the climax. In this point not even an argument such as "this is how it goes in the EU" isn't working any more. In the EU you don't bribe to get a place to pay for in order to park your car”.POLITICS
Romanian President awarded for saving Serbian fleet – Anca Hriban – Ziua – read here -“When a minister of transport, Train Basescu agreed that 7 civil aircrafts belonging to JAT Company should hover and land on Baneasa Airport, Bucharest. The crafts stayed there in March 29 - May 1999 or they would have risked being bombed during the military conflicts in the late 90s. Yesterday while in Belgrade, the President of Romania Traian Basescu got a painting from the JAT Company, as token of gratitude for having saved the Serbian civil fleet in 1999“.
Mr. Handcuff – D.I. – Ziua – read here -“Eugen Nicolicea, a deputy representing the PSD (Social - Democrat Party), is making arrangements so that the Criminal Code would settle norms allowing for the arrest of uneasy journalists and politicians. The man who managed to bring the fight against corruption at a standstill, also a plotter of the referendum story and of the cheat on the uninominal vote, is back again with an initiative typical of the ex Communist Secret Service in Romania”.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
* NEWS *
EDITORIAL
Seeds of wrath – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“Article 108 in the Constitution emphasizes the idea: "It is only the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate and the President of Romania who have got the right to ask for suspension". As you can easily notice, the vice emerging in Article 69 is amplified by the ambiguous phrasing in Article 108. Mind you the words "only" and "and". The Constitutional Court has got no solution, simply because it must only interpret the Constitution. It may modify neither the text nor the meaning of the fundamental law, no matter how unclear it may be. The only solution is to change the Constitution. A referendum will take place anyway. And the lawmakers will have to rephrase the article on the circumstances under which there may be criminal investigations against officials, whether MPs or not. The Chambers should get together and plead for equal treatment for deputies and senators. As for ministers who are not MPs, it should remain the President's privilege, unless Romania takes up the parliamentary republic system, which would be no bad at all, and drops this half-presidential hybrid. And there is one more hypothesis to settle: what if one of the murderers is a common citizen ? He/ She must obey the same treatment, but no harsher one, during the criminal investigations and also in terms of deprivation of freedom”.POLITICS
President Basescu on duty in Belgrade – G.S. – Ziua – read here -“The President of Romania Traian Basescu set out for Belgrade today for an unannounced visit. It is actually part of the second tour in the Serbian presidential elections, due in February 3. Traian Basescu's mission is to persuade the pro-West adepts into supporting Boris Tadic in the second tour and prove solidarity against the pro-Russia Tomislav Nikolici, who expressed opposition to Serbia's European integration. As the Americans want to be out of Kosovo and they have proceeded to major staff and budget cuts in the Serbian province, Washington is hopeful the Romanian President will accomplish mission. (...)“.
Citroen brotherhood – D.A. – Ziua – read here -“The company, an importer of the Citroen, owned by the Romanian PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, also a leader of the National Liberal Party in Romania, is the main beneficiary of the public-private partnership on a property situated in the very center of Bucharest. The PM signed an emergency ordinance in disfavor of the Romanian state, but in favor of Sorin Creteanu. In exchange for it, the latter businessman is building a showroom meant for the Citroen, to be located on DN 1 (main highway to Bucharest). This piece of land is the property of real estate magnate Puiu Popoviciu. It is only minister Tudor Chiuariu and minister Zsot Nagy who are growing criminal, since PM Tariceanu and the Romanian finance minister Varujan Vosganian haven't been disturbed by the National Anti-Corruption Department”.
LATEST
Nicolas Sarkozy to talk to Romanian MPs – T.B. – Ziua – read here -“The President of France Nicolas Sarkozy is to pay an official visit to Bucharest early next week. Bogdan Olteanu, the Liberal chair of the Chamber of Deputies in the Romanian Parliament, announced it yesterday”.
Monday, January 28, 2008
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