mig2008blog

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2008-02-04T15:35:00.001+02:00

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2008-02-04T15:33:00.000+02:00

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2008-02-04T15:31:00.000+02:00

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2008-02-04T15:06:00.000+02:00

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”.

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2008-01-30T10:20:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-30T10:18:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-30T10:16:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-30T10:00:00.000+02:00

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”.

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2008-01-29T10:38:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-29T10:37:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-29T10:35:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-29T10:01:00.000+02:00

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”.

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2008-01-28T13:00:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-28T12:58:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-28T12:55:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-28T12:31:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

The killing trick – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“Five people got together in a criminal group and they committed horrible murder. They stabbed someone one to death in cold blood. There were five stabs and it isn't known which was the killing one. The first person is a deputy, the second is a senator, the third is both a minister and a MP, the fourth is a minister, but not a MP and the last person is not a state official. The police started the first investigations under a prosecutor's co-ordination. But given the Constitution and more special laws, only one of the assassins may be interrogated and arrested. As for the remaining four, the head of state agreed criminal investigations should open, after the Prosecutor's Office asked for his consent. But the Ministry of Justice announced the Prosecutor's Office only about the minister who was not a MP. As far as the minister who is also a MP is concerned, the Ministry of Justice sent a solicitation to the Juridical Committee in the chamber of Deputies. Both the latter and the Senate learned about the Prosecutor's solicitations on the two MPs who were not ministers”.

POLITICS

The Basescu style – D.I. – Ziua – read here -
“The President of Romania Traian Basescu has changed the Tariceanu Cabinet by force, meaning by destroying ministers' credibility. His main instruments have been the Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Department“.

Daniela Popa heads PC, a decision under dispute – Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“The members of the PC (Conservative Party) elected their new president yesterday. Daniela Popa was appointed a leader of the party due to Dan Voiculescu's interference, which led to tremendous scandal. Although she failed to get 50% plus 1 of votes, in keeping with the party's status, she became a president because Sabin Cutas donated her his votes. In order to protest against it, the supporters of Florin Anghel left the room, announcing they would appeal against the results. Codrut Seres was elected a general secretary of the party”.

LATEST

Romanian President's likely visit to Snakes Island – George Damian – Ziua – read here -
“According to the Ukrainian Department of the Deutsche Welle, the President of Romania Traian Basescu is likely to pay a visit to Snakes Island (Insula Serpilor in Romanian), as reported by Rompres Agency. The source reminds in the context that Ukrainian authorities started complex operations to turn the island into a human settlement, although the island is under lawsuit by the International Court of Justice in Hague, with Romania and Ukraine as opponents”.

Romanians still live on bank credits – G.M. – Ziua – read here -
“In the late 2007 the increase of bank credits for companies and Romanian citizens intensified to 60,4%, as compared to 2006, the fund contracted reaching about 44,4 billion Euro. According to data from the National Bank of Romania, the evolution was supported by the powerful 84% increase of foreign currency loans”.

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2008-01-26T08:05:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-26T08:02:00.000+02:00

Zangy Comment Graphics

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2008-01-26T08:00:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-26T07:58:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-26T07:26:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

The poisoned pattern – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“When state prosecutors commit abuses against some public persons, those who point to such abuses are accused of political involvement in favor of the alleged victims or guilty. In their turn, those who criticize prosecutors blame political pressure for prosecutors' lamentable action. These days President Traian Basescu has been insistently claiming the need for equal treatment for common citizens and high officials. This is why I am analyzing a different kind of example today, but one leading to the same conclusion: among prosecutors there has proliferated a practice such as doing their job superficially, applying the law of force and sacrificing the force of law. The fact that Cristian Cioaca, the husband of missing Elodia, was deprived of freedom is a typical example of the kind, sealed even by the court. And this poisoned pattern is spreading”.

POLITICS

Minister Pacuraru summoned to National Anti-Corruption Department – Razvan Gheorghe – Ziua – read here -
“The Liberal minister of labor said he would have to go to the DNA next week. He mentioned having seen the report written by the prosecutor, asking for Presidency's consent to the opening of criminal investigations and he commented in the report there was practically "nothing" incriminating him“.

Interim justice minister gets in contact with Commissioner Frattini – George Damian – Ziua – read here -
“Romania's interim minister of justice Teodor Melescanu was to meet yesterday with the EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini, also a vice president of the European Commission, the BBC reports. The meeting was to take place after the Reunion of the Council of Justice and Domestic Affairs in Slovenia, where officials were to analyze Justice priorities for the EU in 2010-2014”.

Clues about concern in Brussels – George Damian – Ziua – read here -
“The European Commissioner for Multilingualism Leonard Orban said yesterday that the European Commission's report on Justice to be released next week could include some reasons to worry about. But he added there would be mainly facts, not conclusions”.

Officials' fortunes to be supervised – R.I.P. – Ziua – read here -
“Romanian officials' transactions are going to be supervised on the whole EU territory starting with next year, so that there will be more efficient control over corruption, money laundry and fiscal evasion. Romanian governmental officials together with representatives of the Transparency International-Romania are authors of this project, based on a European directive's transposition in Romanian legislation”.

Stolojan: Government is unable to achieve reform – Adrian Ilie – Ziua – read here -
“Theodor Stolojan, a vice president of the PD-L (Democrat-Liberal Party), thinks the Romanian government is no longer able to elaborate programs to fight the effects of the crisis in economy and that the BNR (National Bank of Romania) has got limited means to do this”.

LATEST

Sorin Rosca Stanescu promoted – R.I.P. – Ziua – read here -
“There has lately been rumor claiming that Sorin Rosca Stanescu, general manager of ZIUA, is 'leaving'. It is just that he is not leaving, for he has been promoted to a superior position. He is not leaving the press. On the contrary, he will enjoy a superior rank in a media group. It is to be added that Adrian Patrusca is to continue as ZIUA editor-in-chief. Sorin Rosca Stanescu is doing away with the rumor that he is leaving the press. He has been promoted to an important position and he is going to continue as a founder and editorialist of our daily. Upon his proposal, the ZIUA deputy editor Mihai Palsu has become a publisher of ZIUA. It is to be outlined that, to rumor spreaders' displeasure, Sorin Rosca Stanescu has managed a successful transfer without causing disputes among the ZIUA journalists or owners”.

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2008-01-25T11:03:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-25T11:02:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-25T11:01:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-25T10:59:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-25T10:39:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Conference ? No ! Carnival ? Yes ! – Cristian Unteanu – Ziua – read here -
“Press agencies broke two pieces of news almost at the same time: Romania wasn't invited to attend the World Forum in Davos, but it was invited to the Venice Carnival. It's not bad to pay a lot for sending highbrow representatives to Venice so that we would at least be present in the continent's high brow culture”.

POLITICS

Norica Nicolai issue up to Constitutional Court – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“Yesterday the Romanian government addressed the Constitutional Court against the Romanian President's refusal to appoint Liberal senator Norica Nicolai a minister of justice, claiming such a decision was unconstitutional. According to the press release from the government, the Constitutional Court is asked to admit the existence of a juridical conflict of constitutional nature between the Romanian government and the President of Romania Traian Basescu, emerging because of the latter's refusal to appoint Norica Nicolai a minister of Justice“.

Booing in the Unification Day – Adrian Ilie – Ziua – read here -
“The President and the PM reached the Unification Square at 11:00 a.m. They exchanged a few words in the beginning and then they grew completely indifferent to each other. The crowd there was also divided and recognizable by the color of balloons: orange for the PD-L, yellow for the PNL (National Liberal Party) and red for the PSD (Social-Democrat Party). The local Liberals displayed two huge banners in the square from which the locals could learn that Cuza the ruler had been a liberal. The PD-L tried to impress the public with a banner on which there was written "Unification Gives Power", the party's slogan. And there was even a small group of admirers of the Romanian Conservatives”.

Criminal case against Monica Macovei – Andrei Ghiciusca – Ziua – read here -
“According to the Romanian general attorney Laura Codruta Kovesi, prosecutors are working on a criminal case against the ex justice minister Monica Macovei, opened because of a criminal complained authored by Tudor Chiuariu, her successor at the Romanian Ministry of Justice. The general attorney also announced yesterday that the inquiry was now in the preliminary documentation stage preceding the start of criminal investigations. In October 9, 2007, the Ministry of Justice sent a criminal complaint to the Prosecutor's Office, after having run across clues pointing to intellectual fraud, during checks on the contract with the Freedom House organization, author of the audit that had been the grounds of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy adopted in 2005. The contract had been reached while Monica Macovei was Romania's minister of justice. The general attorney commented: "I can neither confirm nor deny if consent to criminal inquiry will be asked for, since this decision is up to the prosecutor in charge of the case only" ”.

Green for cheat – S.A. – Ziua – read here -
“President Basescu consented to a law belonging to ex Democrat minister of environment, because of which the state budget lost lots of million Euro. And the President even helped Sulfina Barbu, Romania's ex environment minister, get away with the criminal case against her. The President wouldn't allow for the start of criminal inquiry against the ex minister, although he had been provided with complex evidence of her serious corruption crimes. The President of the Environment Fund Administration was accusing that minister Sulfina Barbu elaborated emergency ordinance 196/ 2005 and law 105/ 2006 in disfavor of the state, but in favor of some "groups of political interests" ”.

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2008-01-24T03:21:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-24T03:19:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-24T03:17:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-24T02:50:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Politics grows rude – Miruna Munteanu – Ziua – read here -
“We live in a kind of outskirts ceaselessly hysterical. In press conferences and debates broadcast live our politicians call each other names with mad voluptuousness. They are unable to argue in polemics, they just swear each other. They seem no longer able to find words tough enough to confuse the adversaries. They accuse each other of uniquely villain things, looking so innocent that it makes our hearts stop beating. Then nothing happens. The accusations aren't confirmed or denied in any court, just as the one who expressed them doesn't pay for it. And the scandal goes on and it intensifies”.

POLITICS

Each institution with its law – Anca Hriban, Razvan Gheorghe, Adrian Ilie & Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“Both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate want to get involved in the cases against 4 former and present ministers among the 8 state officials the President placed under criminal investigations. These 4 state officials are MPs too. According to the officials of both Chambers, the Parliament is to consent to the opening of criminal inquiry against Paul Pacuraru, Codrut Seres, Miron Mitrea and Adrian Nastase. Daniel Morar, a head of the DNA (National-Anti Corruption Department), claims there is no need for such consent from the Parliament. As always, the difference in opinion is emerging from the interpretations of legislative norms. The DNA official argues that the President's consent is enough and he adds the Constitutional Court's decision is clear“.

PD-L to turn into a people's party – Adrian Ilie – Ziua – read here -
“According to Valeriu Stoica, the present PD-L (Democrat Liberal Party) is going to change its name into the People's Party, after the 2008-2009 electoral period is over. There is still unofficial information that the PD-L also intends to create a structure and attract unions, professional associations and intellectuals fond of the right”.

LATEST

175 policemen and guardians for Kosovo – R.I.P. – Ziua – read here -
“In the speech he delivered yesterday to the representatives of diplomacy accredited to Bucharest, the President of Romania announced the Supreme Council of National Defense consented that 175 Romanian policemen and guardians should reach Kosovo at a time the EU would decide on. The President didn't mention whose proposal it was or if the decision was reached by the CSAT in a meeting or just by the members' agreement”.

No air traffic during NATO summit – Doru Dragomir – Ziua – read here -
“No air traffic is going to be open on Baneasa airport, close to Bucharest, during the NATO summit in April 2008. According to a government decision now in draft, Romanian authorities are going to ban state-owned aircrafts registered in Romania or in a different state, with or without landing on Romanian airports, carrying troops, weapons, munitions, radioactive and other dangerous material, to hover the national territory. The Romanian Ministry of Defense is going to take control over Romania's entire air space and coordinate all flights of both civil and military planes”.

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2008-01-23T09:36:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-23T09:35:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-23T09:34:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-23T09:16:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

The national security scandal – Cristian Unteanu – Ziua – read here -
“The problem is that the CSAT is actually at a standstill because of this state of things. Therefore away from it and from Romania stay all the major topics debated by the similar structures all over the world. If it isn't so, then why haven't the CSAT members met to discuss about Romania's energy security, since at such hard times we must know our politicians' strategic plans on the raise of fuel prices and possible price raise, apart from the possibility that Russia should set new conditions for supplying gas ? Why has there been no reunion to analyze the dramatic evolutions in the world's finance, announcing a considerable economy crisis and even the start of recession ? Is Romania ready to face such a situation ? Is the banking system ready for it ? How consolidated is the finance market ? Can panic and an assail on banks be prevented ? How long are the people estimated to resist ? Why has there been no reunion to make preparations for a Romanian approach to the imminent, unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence, since the present tension may lead to dramatic events, and not only in the Balkan area ?”.

POLITICS

Interim justice minister provides prosecutors with records – Anca Hriban & Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“Teodor Melescanu, Romania's interim minister of justice, decided yesterday to provide prosecutors with the documentation received from Presidency Administration, concerning the 8 former and present ministers. But the minister mentioned he took no responsibility in the issue. The documents reached the Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Department yesterday, as confirmed by the Ministry of Justice“.

Military hackers – Doru Dragomir – Ziua – read here -
“The DGA (Intelligence Department in the Romanian Ministry of Defense) has become the most powerful secret service in the country after hiring people able to implant viruses in target computers and fight in IT wars. Two years after the military secret CD scandal, the Ministry of Defense established a department specializing in countering IT security incidents. General Francisc Radici, a chief of the DGIA, is head of the department. The Ministry settled over 3 million Euro for the special hardware and software equipment”.

LATEST

Romania wants to be under US shield – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“Yesterday after meeting with the Czech PM Mirek Topolanek in Prague, the Romanian PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu claimed Romania was a full adept of the anti missile shield's expansion, wishing to take part in this project to be achieved not by making Russia hostile. According to the Romanian PM, Russia must be aware that it can be a partner of the NATO and the EU to see to the security of the continent and the world. The Romanian official mentioned that the US shield development was going to be one point of the agenda of the NATO summit due in Bucharest this year”.

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2008-01-22T08:27:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-22T08:26:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-22T08:25:00.001+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-22T07:58:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Political responsibility, juridical responsibility – Miruna Munteanu – Ziua – read here -
“The Constitutional, the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code have become more ambiguous than the stanzas of Nostradamus. Behind every word they have got to search for mysterious, hidden meanings, as if the lawmaker intended to express a cryptic message, to hide the true intentions and confuse the readers, but at the same time leaving secret room for the 'initiated'. Still this is not about esoteric texts, but about what is supposed to be the clearest, most coherent and stabile type of text a nation has got. We are talking about the basic rules in society and state. A country where these rules are ceaselessly doubted has got a major problem, a problem with its system, a problem deeply undermining the credibility of Justice”.

POLITICS

President's ultimatum – Anca Hriban – Ziua – read here -
“Yesterday the President of Romania Traian Basescu summoned the interim minister of justice Teodor Melescanu to provide the Public Ministry with the solicitations for the start of criminal inquiry against 8 present and former ministers. The head of state argued that the minister's refusal would mean abuse at work, a reason to get him suspended as sanction“.

Prosecutor's Office proceeds to diversion – Bogdan Galca – Ziua – read here -
“The Prosecutor's Office registered this document in the case against Mustafa Tartoussi, the day the terrorist provided the High Court of Justice, in charge of his canceling appeal, with testimonies he had kept away from the press. The Syrian criminal's lawyer commented: "There are references to important people, institutions, structures and they would better not be released publicly" ”.

Allowed to swear each other – D.E.I. – Ziua – read here -
“The magistrate in charge of the dispute between the President of Romania Traian Basescu and Romanian health minister Eugen Nicolaescu has decided that to sanction both officials would be "ungrounded interference in their freedom of expression" ”.

Judge decides to hold weapon isn't threat against social security – Adrian Ghiciusca – Ziua – read here -
“Adrian Marin Botez, Costel Acozmei, Vasile Sorin Mazilu, Ion Zavate and Florin Mircea Savu are the members of a group in Piatra Neamt, Romania, who expressed intention to fix their enemies in the mafia until January 24. They got themselves several weapons via a connection in Italy and Spain, allegedly coordinated by criminal Ion Clamparu. But a judge from Bucharest Courthouse decided the facts prosecutors reported on, mainly to hold weapons illegally, were no threat to social security and therefore they disagreed to the proposal that the 5 should be arrested. (...) ”.

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2008-01-21T07:47:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-21T07:45:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-21T07:43:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-21T07:14:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Strange and dangerous phenomena – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“An unprecedented case in the history of the European Union: the Prosecutor's Office and the head of state decide that 8 former and present ministers are to be investigated for alleged crimes, exceptionally severe ones. But this is happening in the country where there is no minister of justice, but only an interim minister, because of the conflict between the President and the PM. Two days after being appointed, the interim minister gets to face a huge political challenge. In one single day he is to consent or not to what the head of state has decided in on single day: open criminal investigations against the 8 ministers. And Teodor Melescanu, the interim minister, decides to throw it back to Cotroceni Palace, who may not consent to a mere notification. Although this is how the law has it, there are no records. But the interim minister receives some sealed records in order to be mocked. What if there is newspaper inside, he says ? And he opens them. All the records are incomplete. And the challenge is back to Cotroceni Palace. This is no longer a crisis concerning state institutions. This is a hyper crisis related to strange and extremely dangerous phenomena”.

POLITICS

Hyper-crisis – Adrian Ilie – Ziua – read here -
“Liberal Teodor Melescanu, right now Romania's interim minister of justice, may join the 8 ministers prosecutors intend to investigate. The President of Romania Traian Basescu claimed yesterday that minister Melescanu's decision to send back the documentation grounding the criminal inquiry against the ministers was actually abuse at work. And the head of state advised the interim minister to take up a legal conduct. Traian Basescu's masked threat against minister Melescanu was overtly expressed by the PD-L (Democrat-Liberal Party), who demanded criminal inquiry against the minister and also the suspension of the latter“.

Liberals talk about Norica Nicolai again – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“The leaders of the PNL (National Liberal Party) are meeting today to talk about Norica Nicolai once again. Last week several top Liberals claimed they had to address the Constitutional Court in the case. In today's meeting the PNL president Calin Popescu-Tariceanu may ask the Liberal leaders for insist that Norica Nicolai should take over the Ministry of Justice”.

Political mythology for PSD and PNL – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“During Saturday's meeting of the women leaders in the PSD (Social-Democrat Party), the party president Mircea Geoana claimed the Social-Democrat women had to be ready to gain the electorate's benevolence, an operation which he called 'The Amazons'. He argued as follows: "We must train candidates able to fight for the electorate's benevolence. I would give it a code name: the Amazons operation". He urged the women in the party to do away with the Elena Ceausescu "failing myth". The women organization in the PSD pursues to get power over 100 city halls in the future elections, along with some 37%-40% eligible positions in electoral lists. Mircea Geoana promised his women colleagues 30% of ministries in a future PSD government”.

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2008-01-20T02:31:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-20T02:28:00.000+02:00

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* Movie News - "CLOVERFIELD" *

2008-01-20T02:04:00.000+02:00

Plot: Five young New Yorkers throw their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera, the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal, horrifying event of their lives.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama and Thriller

Release Date: January 18th, 2008 (wide)

Distributors: Paramount Pictures

Cast and Credits:

Directed by: Matt Reeves

Produced by: Sherryl Clark, Guy Riedel, J.J. Abrams

Starring: Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel

Critics Reviews:

Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert

Godzilla meets the Queasy-Cam in "Cloverfield". a movie that crosses the Monster-Attacks-Manhattan formula with "Blair Witch". No, Godzilla doesn't appear in person, but the movie's monster looks like a close relative on the evolutionary tree, especially in one closeup. The closeup ends with what appears to be a POV shot of the guy with the video camera being eaten, but later he's still around. Too bad. If he had been eaten, but left the camera's light on, I might have been reminded of the excellent video of my colonoscopy.
The movie, which has been in a vortex of rumors for months, is actually pretty scary at times. It's most frightening right after something Very Bad begins to happen in lower Manhattan, and before we get a good look at the monster, which is scarier as a vaguely glimpsed enormity than as a big reptile. At least I think it's a reptile, although it sheds babies by the dozens, and they look more like spiders crossed with crabs. At birth, they are already fully formed and functioning, able to scamper all over town, bite victims, grab them in subway tunnels, etc. I guess that makes the monster a female, although Godzilla, you will recall, had a baby, and the fanboys are still arguing over its gender. (Hold on ! I just discovered online that those are not its babies at all, but giant parasitic lice that drop off and go looking for dinner).
The film, directed by Matt Reeves, is the baby of producer J.J. Abrams, creator of TV's "Lost". It begins with home-video-type footage and follows the fortunes of six twentysomething yuppies. The lead character is Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who is about to leave town for a job in Japan. At a farewell surprise party, Hud (T.J.Miller) takes over the camera and tapes friends wishing Rob well, including Jason (Mike Vogel) and the beautiful Lily (Jessica Lucas). Hud is especially attentive toward Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), who says she's just on her way to meet some friends. She never gets there. The building is jolted, the lights flicker, and everyone runs up to the roof to see all hell breaking loose.
The initial scenes of destruction are glimpsed at a distance. Then things heat up when the head of the Statue of Liberty rolls down the street. Several shots of billowing smoke clouds are unmistakable evocations of 9/11, and indeed one of the movie's working titles was "1/18/08". So the statute has run out on the theory that after 9/11 it would be in bad taste to show Manhattan being destroyed. So explicit are the 9/11 references in "Cloverfield" that the monster is seen knocking over skyscrapers, and one high-rise is seen leaning against another.
The leaning high-rise contains Beth (Odette Yustman), who Rob feels duty-bound to rescue from her 49th-floor apartment near Central Park. The others all come along on this foolhardy mission, even though they'd made it to Brooklyn just before the bridge came down (not explained: how they got back, and how after walking all the way to Columbus Circle, they have the energy to climb 49 flights of stairs, with Lily in her high heels). Part of their uptown journey is by subway, without the benefit of trains. They're informed by a helpful soldier that the last rescue helicopter leaving Central Park will have "wheels up at oh-six-hundred", begging the question of how many helicopters it would take to rescue the population of Manhattan.
The origin of the monster goes unexplained, which is all right with me after the tiresome opening speeches in so many of the 30 or more "Godzilla" films. The characters speculate that it came from beneath the sea, or maybe from outer space, but incredibly, not one of them ever utters the word "Godzilla", no doubt for trademark reasons. The other incredible element is that the camcorder's battery apparently lasts, on the evidence of the footage we see, more than six hours, maybe 12.
The entire film is shot in Queasy-Cam hand-held style, mostly by Hud, who couldn't hold it steady or frame a shot if his life depended on it. After the screening, I heard some fellow audience members complaining that they felt dizzy or had vertigo, but no one barfed, at least within my hearing.
Mercifully, at 84 minutes the movie is even shorter than its originally alleged 90-minute running time; how much visual shakiness can we take ? And yet, all in all, it is an effective film, deploying its special effects well and never breaking the illusion that it is all happening as we see it. One question, which you can answer for me after you see the film: Given the nature of the opening government announcement, how did the camera survive ?

Rob (Michael Stahl-David) and Beth (Odette Yustman) try to document their experience as they are terrorized by a monstrous creature in “Cloverfield”.

Just Five Facts

FACT ONE: It Came From Japan
Producer J.J. Abrams took his son to a toy store in Japan and saw rows and rows of Godzilla toys. Feeling that the U.S. lacked a giant monster of its own, he decided to a make his own creature feature that would be filmed entirely through the point-of-view of the people on the ground, running for their lives.

FACT TWO: "Felicity" Fans Are in for a Shock
Abrams picked his childhood friend Matt Reeves to direct the film. Together, they created Felicity, a show about young New Yorkers looking for love. But while the most exciting moment on that show was the time Keri Russell cut her hair, in this movie the entire city gets hacked to pieces.

FACT THREE: This Poster Doesn't Lie
As a kid, Abrams loved Escape From New York. But he felt cheated that the image of the Statue of Liberty's head lying in the street on the movie's poster wasn't actually in the film. Abrams finally got to see it on the big screen in the teaser trailer that appeared before Transformers last summer.

FACT FOUR: They Never Meant to Call It That
To keep the movie a secret, the project was given the codename "Cloverfield", after a street near Abrams' office. The filmmakers had planned to release the movie as Greyshot, the name of a key Central Park location. But the temporary title spread through the internet so quickly that crew decided to keep it.

FACT FIVE: Will There Be Anyone Left for a Sequel ?
In the exclusive clip below, Rob (Michael Stahl-David) and Beth (Odette Yustman) run to catch the last helicopter out of Manhattan. Do they make it ? We're not telling. But Director Matt Reeves has stated that if they do a sequel, it might take place during the same monster attack, but seen from another camera.

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2008-01-19T04:28:00.001+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-19T04:13:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Imperial hubris – Fritz Stern – Ziua – read here -
“The United States, with its claims of exceptionalism, is usually thought of as free of historical analogies. But comparisons with the fate of earlier empires are becoming more common”.

POLITICS

President Basescu mocks Teodor Melescanu – Anca Hriban, R.I.P. & D.I. – Ziua – read here -
“Teodor Melescanu, Romania's defense minister and at present an interim minister of justice as well, announced yesterday that he might not obey the Romanian President's request for the start of criminal investigations against 8 former and present ministers, because the documents received from Presidency did not include the actual criminal inquiry records against the accused. According to the law, such documents are to reach the minister of justice so that the latter would address the Prosecutor's Office“.

PSD leaders make room for ex PM – Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“The reactivation of Adrian Nastase, formerly a president of the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) and also a PM, has become a priority for his adepts who wish him to get a reliable position on top of the party”.

Flawed career of prosecutor Codrut Olaru – S.A. – Ziua – read here -
“In today's edition you can read about the career of prosecutor Codrut Olaru. Although accused of abuse at work, favors for criminals and traffic of influence, Traian Basescu appointed him head of the DIICOT (Department to Counter International Organized Criminality and Terrorism)”.

LATEST

Proposal to make bribe for doctors legal – D.M. – Ziua – read here -
“Bribing doctors is so common in Romania that there have even come up proposals to make it legal, according to the BBC. The most recent proposal belongs to the College of Doctors in Cluj, who is asking authorities to modify the legislation in order to allow doctors to get the so-called 'gifts' from patients after the latter have recovered”.

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2008-01-18T07:19:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-18T07:18:00.000+02:00

Zangy Comment Graphics

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2008-01-18T04:52:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-18T04:49:00.000+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-18T04:09:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Such outlook, such justice – Cristian Unteanu – Ziua – read here -
“How far are we from the revolutionary justice and its absolute principles and how close are we to what we have claimed we wish to have: politically uninvolved justice to express only the requirements of the rule of law ? I am not very sure that someone can give a certain answer to this question in the European Romania of 2007. Can you ?”.

POLITICS

Ex justice minister: There is no project to dismember DNA – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“According to Romania's ex justice minister Tudor Chiuariu, there is no government project meant to dismember the DNA (National Anti-Corruption Department), therefore such information is but "the obsession of all the President's servants" “.

Act II in DNA play – Adrian Ghiciusca – Ziua – read here -
“The day before yesterday the President of Romania Traian Basescu allowed prosecutors to open investigations against 8 former and present ministers. Yesterday investigators started criminal inquiry against 10 finance providers and managers of Romanian soccer clubs. Here are the names on the DNA (National Anti-Corruption Department) list: Ioan and Victor Becali, Gheorghe Popescu, George Copos, Cristian Borcea, Jean Padureanu, Mircea Stoenescu, Mihai Stoica, Gheorghe Netoiu, Sica Puscoci. They are accused of hiding substantial funds obtained by transferring to foreign teams soccer player like Bratu, Contra or Ganea. According to prosecutors, the harm done on the budget by cutting on taxed income is 1,7 million Euro. Over 600,000 Euro should have reached the bank accounts of the Romanian Soccer Federation”.

Politicians' foundations at our expense – Adrian Ilie – Ziua – read here -
“On the website of the Romanian Ministry of Health you can access a draft of a decision government by which a foundation called "Renaissance by Education, Health and Culture" is going to become public utility. This is the foundation headed by Mihaela Geoana, wife of Mircea Geoana. The project became public in January 11, shortly after it was unveiled that this NGO was a privileged renter of the RAAPPS, although the staff was supposed to move from the building in December. According to the government ordinance 26/2000, it becomes an NGO of public utility, providing the right to get public services of non-commercial nature, along with "the preferential right to resources from the state budget and local budgets". Therefore the above-mentioned foundation dealing with the countering of breast cancer has got the legal right to ask to continue as renter of the RAAPPS”.

LATEST

Parliament of Europe passes report on Black Sea cooperation – George Damian – Ziua – read here -
“581 MEPs voted yesterday in Strasbourg for the report on Black Sea cooperation, authored by Romanian MEP Roberta Anastase, member of the EPP group. There were only 19 MEPs to vote against and 17 not to vote at all”.

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2008-01-17T05:50:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-17T05:49:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-17T05:48:00.000+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-17T05:26:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

A prime minister player – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“Last year I came up with a scenario on Traian Basescu as PM. It seemed hallucinating. It amazed many people. But it is now visible that the President's actions are in keeping with such an intention. If I am right, Traian Basescu will risk so much that he will set his own mandate on fire. He will sacrifice everything to become a player in the government and take a second step later: the constitutional diminishment of the President's prerogatives and the ensuing enlargement of the PM's prerogatives. This is the Putin pattern, which can be successfully applied on Bucharest democracy. And this way not even the Constitution will be what it used to. The ambiguities in the Constitution can grow much less, for this will be the way to a parliamentary republic at last”.

POLITICS

8 Romanian ministers under criminal investigations – Mihai Toader – Ziua – read here -
“Just a few minutes after the Romanian PM asked him for one more meeting on the Norica Nicolai case, the President of Romania Traian Basescu demanded the opening of procedures for criminal inquiry against 8 former and present ministers. The action of Presidency is legal, given the Constitutional Court's decision in November 2007, according to which the President may decide by himself to agree or disagree to the opening of criminal inquiry against a former or present minister“.

President and PM met again, but in vain – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“President Basescu explained yesterday evening: "The future minister of justice was the main topic. (...) In the end, although each of us has still got his own opinion, we have concluded we must find a solution. This meeting should have taken place when I expressed my first invitation to dialogue". The Romanian PM had announced yesterday, just a short while before Presidency released the communique on the 8 former and present minister now under criminal investigations, that he would ask President Basescu to meet with him and analyze the situation of Liberal Norica Nicolai objectively. After Cotroceni Palace announced the new initiative, the Romanian government's spokesman announced learning about the President's solicitation for the start of criminal procedures with view to investigations against present and former officials. No other comment was made”.

Norica Nicolai claims President is 'the teacher' invoked by Omar Hayssam – Razvan Gheorghe – Ziua – read here -
“Norica Nicolai, a vice president of the PNL (National Liberal Party) and the Romanian PM's choice for a future minister of justice, denied yesterday the accusations concerning her professional career and she also claimed that the 'teacher' invoked in the talks between Syrian businessman Omar Hayssam and prosecutor Ciprian Nastasiu was the President of Romania Traian Basescu. She argued: "The stenograms published by the press and public debates show the person Omar Hayssam and Ciprian Nastasiu referred to as 'the teacher' is President Basescu. This makes me worry a lot and I think we all should worry that a convicted person and a prosecutor speak about the head of state in such terms" ”.

LATEST

President and PM passed test – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“According to the public opinion in Romania, the marks (1 to 10) look as follows: 6,43 for President Traian Basescu, 5,51 for PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu and 5,38 for the opposition”.

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2008-01-16T04:10:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-16T04:08:00.001+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-16T03:48:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

The President fooled ? – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“From the very beginning we can't do away with the hypothesis according to which Traian Basescu is a victim of his own naivete in the scandal emerging after Omar Hayssam fled. If the head of state was fooled and if he is not the 'teacher', that is the man behind the negotiations with the terrorist, the one who decided the latter could leave the prison and then Romania, we have to admit, whether we like it nor not, that a similar scenario was produced in the 'hostage crisis' too. If Traian Basescu was innocent about the abduction of the Romanian journalists and the bizarre way they were recuperated, the bomb fixed then exploded once with the release of Omar Hayssam. The hand that fixed it is necessary the same, but different from the hand which Traian Basescu used to manipulate political prosecutor Ciprian Nastasiu, an under cover intelligence agent”.

POLITICS

Basescu's record is unreachable – Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“Mugur Ciuvica, a president of the Group for Political Investigations, mentioned two days ago that the Romanian President's record had vanished. And therefore the National Archives official invited Mugur Ciuvica to pay a visit to the institution and search the documents coming from the former Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party“.

President agrees Teodor Melesanu should be interim justice minister – D.I. – Ziua – read here -
“The Romanian PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu demanded the President of Romania Traian Basescu by letter to appoint the Liberal defense minister Teodor Melescanu an interim minister of justice, as the government announced yesterday. The President appreciated the PM's idea and he signed the decree to appoint Teodor Melescanu, Presidency announced”.

A cover called Ioan Talpes – Silviu Alupei – Ziua – read here -
“Sensational information unveiled by an ex intelligence officer deciphers the dialogue between terrorist Omar Hayssam and prosecutor Ciprian Nastasiu. According to clues, the mysterious 'teacher' is Ioan Talpes, formerly a chief of the SIE (Foreign Intelligence Service) and a vice PM, the man who covered the terrorist systematically”.

LATEST

World Bank: Romanian economy is vulnerable – F.B. – Ziua – read here -
“According to Hans Timmer, a main World Bank economist, the vulnerabilities of Romanian economy are greater than those of other developing countries. One reason for it, he argued, is the high current account deficit. The WB official developed upon it during the release of the "2008 Global Economic Prospects" and he related it to the US financial crisis. Timmer pointed that the current account deficit might deteriorate even more. He argued the increase of the current account deficit had effects right after the crisis had burst out in the US. The exchange rate underwent a powerful increase in Romania, whereas national currency appreciated in other states. Still he commented it was no reason to panic, but he described the situation as unsustainable”.

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2008-01-14T02:32:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-14T02:29:00.001+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-14T01:49:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

The terrorist bomb – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“The scandal emerging because of the stenograms of talks between a prosecutor and a terrorist can turn into a Romanian Watergate. This is the main exam for our democracy. If so, Romania has got a chance to pass on to a new epoch. If not, a virtual main exam will turn into a mess and look like affairs such as "Cigarette 1", "Cigarette 2", "Cigarette 3" and so on. Why miss the chance to analyze the system thoroughly ? Why wouldn't Romanian society have the privilege to highlight what is truly rotten and extirpate the rumor ? The identity of the 'teacher' is one main key to the terrorist bomb. The 'teacher' is that person on top of the hierarchy that the two interlocutors mentioned a lot in their talks, kept secret until a couple of days ago”.

POLITICS

President and PM met, but didn't agree on justice minister – Raluca Papadopol & Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“The meeting between the President of Romania Traian Basescu and PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu took place, but it was fruitless, for both officials were firm. After the meeting the PM told Liberal senator Norica Nicolai that the National Liberal Party would continue to support her to take over the Romanian Ministry of Justice“.

Gloomy predictions for 2008 – R.I.P. – Ziua – read here -
“According to the yearly report for 2008 released yesterday by the SAR, this year will bring few things to enjoy. There is estimated that the ordinary political disputes prevailing in the last 12 months have degraded the quality of the ruling. The SAR opines that some of the future negative effects will consist in a danger such as the activation of the safeguard clause on Romanian Justice, if attacks concerning the National Anti-Corruption Department continue. On the other hand one expectation is that Romania's country rating by international financial evaluation agencies will go worse. Another expectation the SAR mentions is the significant increase of structural deficits”.

Ludovic Orban and Marian Vanghelie want to rule over Bucharest – Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“Ludovic Orban, a vice president of the PNL (National Liberal Party), admitted yesterday that he was thinking about entering the competition on a future mayor to rule Bucharest, but he added the final decision was due after a domestic poll was completed. The Liberal told the Hotnews: "My experience and the way Bucharest looks like make me think I am the right candidate for a general mayor". He added his party colleagues were asking him to join the competition, adding that the final decision would probably be reached in March. As far as the latter party is concerned, Marian Vanghelie pointed that Social-Democrats wanted all the 6 mayors of Bucharest districts and the general mayor too to come from their party. He told Realitatea TV station: "I want to be a candidate. If they think I am the best, I will take care that the curb affair and the parking business are settled" ”.

LATEST

Cristian Tudor Popescu doesn't head ‘Gandul’ daily any more – Adrian Ghiciusca – Ziua – read here -
“The journalist told Mediafax: "After some talks with Mr. Sarbu, the main shareowner, who thinks the newspaper's editorial policy isn't meeting the investments made to rebrand the publication, the idea is that he isn't pleased with this policy". The journalist added the shareowner had expectations "impossible to meet, given the Romanian press at present" and also given the fact that Gandul was "a quality newspaper" ”.

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* Sunday Fun *

2008-01-13T01:00:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-12T00:40:00.000+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-12T00:16:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

It's Basescu ! Or is it Talpes ? – Sorin Rosca Stanescu – Ziua – read here -
“There have recently leaked the stenograms of some talks between political prosecutor Ciprian Nastasiu and Omar Hayssam, at first sentenced to 20 years of prison for terrorism. But the convicted fled with his interlocutor's help, that is political prosecutor Ciprian Nastasiu”.

POLITICS

President Basescu executes Norica Nicolai publicly – Anca Hriban – Ziua – read here -
“The President of Romania Traian Basescu came out yesterday to release information about the professional career of Liberal Norica Nicolai and ground his refusal to appoint her a minister of Justice. It happened after the PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu had dismissed the President's invitation to dialogue about Norica Nicolai. The President put it straight yesterday: "I will never appoint her a minister of Justice !". He insinuated the PM had another means available: to have the MPs vote for or against her. If they vote for her, the President will have to appoint her a minister by decree. Traian Basescu complained that last Thursday he had kept on trying to get in touch with the PM, but he wouldn't be reached. "This is unacceptable in the rule of law, for it could have been a problem of national security !", the President commented“.

Nicolai: Basescu has behaved like the Securitate – Anca Hriban – Ziua – read here -
“Liberal Senator Norica Nicolai claimed yesterday evening that, were the facts invoked by the President of Romania Traian Basescu true, she would step back. According to the senator, the Romanian President's initiative against her was "undignified for a man and abusive for a President" ”.

LATEST

Preparations for NATO summit are "on schedule" – Doru Dragomir – Ziua – read here -
“The visit the NATO general secretary paid to Bucharest yesterday was meant to check on the preparations for the NATO summit due in Bucharest in the early April 2008. Georgeta Ionescu, a general secretary of the Chamber of Deputies in the Parliament of Romania, admitted yesterday that the preparations were "on schedule" ”.

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2008-01-11T02:35:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-11T02:34:00.000+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-11T02:12:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Astrograms – Zoe Petre – Ziua – read here -
“From his privileged unilateral relations with Washington, Mr. President is sure to keep the idea of legitimate preventive offenses in mind and use it in domestic politics with a constancy that would be worthy of a better end. In 2005, the very day after he had just patched a coalition for ruling, when everybody was eager to see him attack the adversaries mercilessly, we got to see him attack his new allies. Once with the floods, the obsessive target of preventive attacks shaped itself and ever since then the PNL (National Liberal Party) has been the addressee of presidential aggression. The PNL recommends someone to become a minister and the President dismisses that someone at once. Preventively, no doubt”.

The fifth crisis – Adrian Ilie & Razvan Gheorghe – Ziua – read here -
“The country has reached a new political crisis, bursting out because of the President's refusal to appoint the Liberal a minister of Justice and because of the PM's stubborn decision not to give up his proposal. The two officials interpret the Constitutional Court's decision in different ways, even if the Court made a decision on a similar case: the appointing of Adrian Cioroianu a minister of foreign affairs last spring. The fact that Romania hasn't got a minister of Justice at times when the EU institutions are about to release the preliminary report on Romanian Justice and therefore the fact that foreign partners have no one to talk to in the field is making this crisis worse. And this is actually the fifth crisis emerging in the relations between the Tariceanu Cabinet and President Basescu. (...)”.

POLITICS

Gusa's accusations against candidate Norica Nicolai – D.I. – Ziua – read here -
“Yesterday Cozmin Gusa asked Norica Nicolai, Romanian Liberals' candidate to take over the Ministry of Justice, to make public and transparent statements about her business connections with the Tender group, the Patriciu group and Transylvania Bank before being appointed Romania's minister of Justice“.

Women rule over CSM for the first time – Razvan Savaliuc – Ziua – read here -
“It is for the first time in the history of the CSM (Superior Council of Magistracy) that a woman judge has become a president of the institution and another woman, prosecutor Gratiana Isac, has been elected a vice president. (...)”.

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2008-01-10T03:24:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-10T03:22:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-10T03:21:00.000+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-10T03:04:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Traian Basescu is taking us for fools – Rares Bogdan – Ziua – read here -
“One more year elapsed and Traian Basescu finds it is time for some tension in a country half covered by snow and with the other half watching TV and rejoicing that God has saved them from such snow and snowstorms. Although they can still feel the smell of stuffed cabbage and traditional sausages, Romanians are going back to reality because of some authority or high official reminding us that summer is not like winter or because of some presidential tricks done on the public stage, rather lethargic right now. The President elected by less than one third of Romanians has ruminated under the Christmas tree in Cotroceni Palace and he has decided to come out and assail the ex Liberal bothers and also kick those so indecent to hope that this new year will bring less scandals and vendettas. Those keeping an eye on Traian Basescu can expect something to cast light on him, somehow shadowed by the winter holidays”.

POLITICS

Liberals insist for Norica Nicolai – Ovidiu Banches – Ziua – read here -
“According to the Romanian PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, there is no legal argument why Liberal senator Norica Nicolai mustn't be appointed a Romanian minister of Justice and he is therefore demanding the President of Romania Traian Basescu to appoint her "as soon as possible". In the letter the PM wrote yesterday to reply to the President's letter, there is mentioned that the head of state may not prefer someone else simply because of his "political and personal antipathy" for the person recommended. The PM has dismissed the President's request that he should recommend someone else instead. In his letter the PM points that, were it about public image, there should be added those controversial cases involving Traian Basescu himself when he was a general mayor of Bucharest: the Fleet case and the house in Mihaileanu Street“.

Local elections are up to PSD and PNL – Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“According to the PSD (Social-Democrat Party) president Mircea Geoana, his party has got no intention to postpone local elections, but party sources claim a final decision hasn't been reached yet. Wishing to do away with allegations, the PSD official has mentioned that the issue hasn't been tackled with the Romanian PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu yet. Still he has argued that to hold the two elections the same day would save up some funds and also shorten the electoral campaign. Still there is information that the Social-Democrats would like the local elections to be held in the autumn and the idea of a law change doesn't scare them”.

Swoboda: "Romania's image is deteriorating" – D.I. – Ziua – read here -
“After the Romanian President Traian Basescu's refusal to appoint Liberal Norica Nicolai a minister of Justice, Hannes Swoboda, a vice president of the socialist group in the Parliament of Europe, has commented that Romania's image is deteriorating because of such arguments, just as the lack of a minister is harming the Justice reform. He has told the RFI-Romania that such attitude may give the international community aren't approached properly”.

SIE generals earn billions – Doru Dragomir – Ziua – read here -
“The generals enjoying official positions in the SIE (Foreign Intelligence Service) earn twice as much as the President of Romania. Silviu Predoiu and Vasilica Sarca, the two generals who ruled over the SIE until Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu was appointed a chief, have just released their statements on personal properties. They don't own many cars and houses, but in terms of earnings they top the list of state institutions' employees”.

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2008-01-09T05:06:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-09T05:05:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-09T05:04:00.001+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-09T04:47:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

ElBaradei excuses Iran and accuses Romania – Roxana Iordache – Ziua – read here -
“Mohamed AlBaradei, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is out of the blue pointing to Romania and claiming it is one of the states where a danger such a terrorism may come from, more threateningly than ever ! But he has been minimizing this danger so far. Even when explaining it, he would suggest that the terrorists were just a reflex of self-defense against aggressing America. It is also the reason why Mr. ElBaradei was awarded the Nobel for Peace, usually a prize for the left, more precisely for the anti-American left. There is also Al Gore, a perfect illustration of the "Blame America First" theory of the radical left”.

POLITICS

Romanian President dismisses Liberal Norica Nicolai – Cristian Andrei – Ziua – read here -
“A letter by the President of Romania Traian Basescu reached Romanian PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu yesterday, demanding him to give up his recommendation that Liberal Norica Nicolai should be appointed a minister of Justice. The PM was also asked to recommend a politically independent person to take over the Ministry of Justice. The President motivated his refusal by invoking the negative public perception of Norica Nicolai's deeds, claiming that to appoint her a minister would just make national and international distrust in Romanian Justice grow. The President reminded the story with a niece of Liberal Nicolai voting instead of the latter in the Parliament and he argued: "Given the need to confirm by facts the political will to build and consolidate an independent Justice, I dare suggest an uncontroversial candidate, able to get respect professionally, as well as from citizens or in the relations with magistrates, a politically independent person" “.

Social-Democrats get ready for war – D.I. – Ziua – read here -
“A small number of party leaders got together the day before yesterday to talk about the party's future and Mircea Geoana tried to see the vice president's opinions in the early 2008. The National Council is a hot issue for the Social-Democrats, which will decide the way the PSD will act this electoral year. The 'praetorian guard" faithful to Ion Iliescu is starting to react against Mircea Geoana's policy, no longer accepting the party's distancing from the traditional electorate. They are trying to impose their point of view, threatening Mircea Geoana that otherwise they will cause significant tensions right before elections. Ion Iliescu himself announced on his birthday that he would be trying to define the role of the left, without hesitating to get into dispute with his party colleagues”.

LATEST

Italy's foreign minister pays visit to Romania – D.E. – Ziua – read here -
“The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentions by press release that the event is part of the agenda on frequent political contacts between Romania and Italy. The two ministers are going to sign an updated Common Declaration of Romanian and Italian foreign ministers on the consolidated Romanian-Italian strategic partnership, now 10 years old. In the press release there is also specified that the document defines the main points for the future Romanian-Italian bilateral relations, emphasizing the consolidation of Romanian-Italian collaboration within the EU, as well as at regional and international level”.

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2008-01-08T02:05:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-08T02:02:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-08T02:00:00.000+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-08T01:37:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

Bulgarians too fix Romania – Cristian Unteanu – Ziua – read here -
“So far the humiliation Romania has suffered from our neighbor state has been just at diplomacy level. It has involved only Romanian diplomacy as guided by minister Cioroianu and looking like a village not guarded by dogs. I have thought there could be no tougher mock than the one coming from Chishinau, no harsher ignorance of Romania's status as a main state in the region than the one coming from Kiev and no more constant lobby than that by anti-Romanian groups in Budapest. I have been convinced that Romania is so used to being a boxing bag that it has been dignified enough to decide to ignore them, to humiliate them by showing dignity, that is by keeping silent”.

POLITICS

Talks between government and unions were fruitless – Adrian Ilie – Ziua – read here -
“During yesterday's meeting between the government's representatives, the Romanian unions' representatives and the President of Romania Traian Basescu unions managed to get nothing. The government's representatives wouldn't put up with the claims of unions and they counted much on President Basescu, yesterday an arbitrator of talks, who had already promoted the 2008 budget law and the social 2008 insurance budget in the last day of 2008“.

Snow crooks – Mihnea Talau – Ziua – read here -
“Bucharest is now stuck because its mayors, with general mayor Adriean Videanu as top of the list, signed contracts that don't stipulate the cleaning of snow banks from city streets”.

LATEST

ElBaradei fears Al-Qaeda may get radioactive material from Romania – A.G. – Ziua – read here -
“Mohammed AlBaradei, chief of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), fears the Al-Qaeda is plotting a nuclear or radioactive attack and he expresses concern about the trafficking in radioactive materials from Romania, Ukraine, Kazahstan and Uzbekistan. Mediafax Agency informs that he has told in his interview to the Al-Hayat daily that a terrorist attack by the Al-Qaeda in a capital such as London or Cairo would be a nightmare much greater than the attacks in September 11, 2001”.

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2008-01-07T03:49:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-07T03:48:00.001+02:00

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2008-01-07T03:47:00.000+02:00

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* NEWS *

2008-01-07T03:27:00.000+02:00

EDITORIAL

The new class struggle – Dan Pavel – Ziua – read here -
“The hatred of oligarchs is the most powerful resentment in both the Romanian press and society. Some journalists and citizens are surprised that rich politicians (who are not that many) buy and sell lands, houses, villas, palaces, residential quarters, shares, companies, jewels, luxurious cars, yachts, planes and so on. It also surprises them that the rich take up politics or they spread their influence on press, local communities and parties. The resentment for capitalism isn't even dissimulated any more”.

POLITICS

President arbitrates meeting between government and unions – Adrian Ilie – Ziua – read here -
“The President of Romania Traian Basescu is to arbitrate today's talks between the Romanian government's representatives and the leaders of 6 large union confederations. The 2008 budget is the issue at stake because unionists are dissatisfied that their amendments weren't taken into account. It is anyway unclear how their objections can still be considered, since the head of state already promulgated the budget law in December 31, 2007“.

DIICOT is precarious institution – Razvan Savaliuc – Ziua – read here -
“ZIUA provides you with one more analysis of the Prosecutor's Office in Romania where prosecutors reach the top of the hierarchy on criteria that turn them into potential puppets, also due to the Romanian general attorney Laura Codruta Kovesi”.

Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs starts badly – Luminita Pop – Ziua – read here -
“The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has started its 2008 activity just like usually: without responding to incidents with Romanians as victims. Although in the very first days of 2008 the mass media reported on Chishinau authorities' decision to expel 4 priests and 1 nun of the Metropolitan Church of Basarabia from the Moldovan Republic because the 5 clergy lacked legal documents allowing for their residence in the Moldovan Republic, the Ministry headed by minister Adrian Cioroianu has responded in no way whatsoever to the abusive measure and intimidation against the Romanian citizens”.

LATEST

Schools open despite snowfalls – C.S. – Ziua – read here -
“Mihaela Suciu, a spokeswoman for the Romanian Ministry of Education, announced for the time being there is no reason for such postponement. It is to be mentioned that the schools in the district of Constanta are in a difficult situation. The spokeswoman adds: "There are exceptions to be settled. Inspectors may decide postponement where the case and the missed classes are to be recuperated" ”.

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2008-01-06T00:46:00.000+02:00

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2008-01-06T00:45:00.000+02:00