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RADOR: News from Romania, 97-12-02
December 2, 1997
CONTENTS
[01] The National Day of Romania
[02] Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Severin Left for Canada
[03] The 5-th Congress of the Civic Alliance
[04] World Anti-AIDS Day in Romania
[05] Romanian-Bulgarian Cooperation
[06] In Search of Nazi Gold
[07] Statement of PNL Deputy Traian Remes
[08] Weather in Romania
[01] The National Day of Romania
December 1 is the National Day of Romania. The union of all historical
Romanian provinces took place 79 years ago. Ceremonies devoted to the event
were held in most Romanian towns throughout the country, but the main
ceremony was organised in the Transylvanian town of Alba Iulia, where, on
December 1, 1918, the grand popular assembly was held to accomplish the
union. Romanian President Emil Constantinescu attended the ceremonies in
Alba Iulia alongside other Romanian high ranking officials. "The
accomplishment of the Great Union is a symbol of success and it proves that
Romanians are not the victims of history, but winners", President
Constantnescu said in his speech. Coming back to the present, he explained
that the eradication of poverty still affecting most of Romanian people
depends on the success of the reform. He called on all Romanians to
participate in the effort of modernising the country. "If it was possible
in 1918, then we are not allowed not to make it possible now", Mr.
Constantinescu concluded. A military parade followed, the first since 1989,
with display of Romanian military techniques. Events devoted to the union
also took place in the Republic of Moldova. In 1918, the Romanian province
then called Bassarabia, together with Bukovina, whose northern art now
belongs to the Ukraine, were united with Romania. RRI-RADOR, December 2
[02] Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Severin left for Canada
Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Severin left for Ottawa yesterday to
attend the ministerial conference on the signing of the Convention baning
anti-personnel mines. According to Mr. Severin, "the signing ceremony is a
victory of our foreign policy". In Ottawa, the Romanian minister will
havetalks with Canadian high rankin officials. RRI-RADOR, December 2
[03] The 5-th Congress of the Civic Alliance
The 5-th Congress of the Civic Aliance (AC), a componenent of the ruling
Democratic Convention in Romania, came to an end in Buchaest. The well-
known writer Ana Blandiana was unanimously re-elected as president of the
Alliance. Particiants decided by vote that the Alliance should stay within
the Democratic Converntion if several conditions are met. Prime Minister
Victor Ciorbea admitted there is a distance between the ideals promoted by
the AC and the realities of the government. RRI-RADOR, December 2
[04] World Anti-AIDS Day in Romania
The World Anti-AIDS Day was observed on Monday upon the initiative of the
World Conference in London. Out of the overall 4,200 HIV positive children
in Europe, Romania reports 2,680 cases. The large spread of AIDS in Romania
is deeply rooted in the communist years, because the then regime denied all
evidence and took no measure to prevent it. Bucharest recently hosted the
second Romanian forum devoted to HIV positive children. RRI-RADOR,
December 2
[05] Romanian-Bulgarian cooperation
"Romania and Bulgaria will get involved in the development of the Euro-
Asian transport corridor", Georgian President Edward Shevarnadze said in an
interview with the RRI. He added that the Romanian and Bulgarian presidents
expressed their great interest in the project. The concrete terms of their
participation will be debated during Shevarnadze's visit to both Bucharest
and Sofa in two weeks time. RRI-RADOR, Deember 2
[06] In search of Nazi gold
According to a report issued by an international commission of historians,
Swiss commercial banks got three times more gold from Nazi Germany than it
was previously estimated. The alleged Nazi gold in Swiss banks amounts to
61 million dollars. Ordered by the Government in Berne, the report unvails
that some 146 million dollars were confiscated by German Nazis from the
victims of the Holocaust. The report was published a day before an
international conference on the issue was expected to start in London.
Previous reports say that the Swiss National Bank was the most important
buyer of Nazi gold. The top includes the Swiss commercial banks followed by
the Romanian National Bank. At least 2.5 million dollars belonged to the
Jews in Auschwitz extermination camp. RADOR, December 2
[07] Statement of PNL Deputy Traian Remes
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea is to announce the Government
reshuffle on Tuesday. The parties have already ended their negotations, and
the most important move is expected to be the nomination of the new finance
minister as he is supposed to be a member of the National Liberal Party
(PNL). The PNL candidate is Mr. Traian Remes, Deputy of Baia Mare, the
president of the Budget-Finance Commission in the House of Deputies. In a
statement to the BBC, Traian Remes said that the Liberals intended to take
tough measures in order to redress the current financial situation: "In the
first place, we should to reorganise fiscality for both the population and
economic agents. The Romanian fiscality is suffocating. Our first challenge
is a cut in direct tax duties, and then the indirect tax duties system
should be reorganised. As far as the population is concerned, the people
could be sure that a Liberal finance minister will reduce the tax on wages,
and taxes are supposed to be significantly reduced. (...) If our opinions
will not be taken into account and implemented - our economic measures, the
economic laws we propose - then we shall not continue to participate in
such a lost game, and our participation in the governing coalition will
end. We have promised - and we shall keep our word - that we shall be loyal
partners, but we do not want to be involved in the government's failure".
RADOR, December 2
[08] Weather in Romania
Weather in Romania will be warm for this period of time, but rainy and
foggy in most of the country. Temperatures will range from -2 centigrades
in the morning to 12 centigrades at noon. RADOR, December 2
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