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
* NEWS *
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”.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
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