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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-02-18
February 18, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Romanian Presidency: new laws promulgated
[02] VAT adjusted
[03] PRM is against Romania's virtual involvement in Iraqi crisis
[04] "As far as NATO is concerned, we should be patient", Romanian foreign
minister says
[05] Romanian-Ukrainian cross-border cooperation
[06] Romanian military delegation on a visit to the US
[07] Hungarian General Consulate tourist office opened in Cluj-Napoca
[08] Romanian-Hungarian meeting in Szeged
[09] Visas policy of the French embassy in Bucharest
[10] Romanian Senate delegation on a visit to London
[01] Romanian Presidency: new laws promulgated
Romanian President Emil Constantinescu has signed the decree promulgating
the Law on approving Emergency Ordinance 74/1998 concerning measures aimed
at insuring crude oil and fuel stocks for the winter of 1997-1998. He has
also signed the Law on approving Emergency Ordinance 64/1998 concerning the
setting up of the National Agency for developing and implementing
reconstruction programmes in minig aereas. The Press Bureau of the Romanian
Presidency said that the new agency is aimed at implementing the energy
national strategy making an impact on mining. The agency is also supposed
to draw up national programmes of restructuring the mining industry and
implementing plans of regional development in mining areas. RADOR,
February 18
[02] VAT adjusted
The Budget and Finance Commission in the Romanian House of Deputies has
approved the ordinance on adjusting VAT. The commission has proposed that
the tax on bread should be eliminated and the tax on vegetables and fruits
should be reduced from 22% to 11%. The current VAT on bread is now of 11%.
During the meeting on Tuesday, 13 commissioners voted for the ordinance, 4
voted against and 2 abstained. Only 19 commissioners attended the meeting.
RADOR, February 18
[03] PRM is against Romania's virtual involvement in Iraqi crisis
PRM Deputy Tudor Marcu has presented a communique issued by the Managing
Council of the Greater Romania Party (PRM). PRM wishes to express its
protest against the Government decision concerning a virtual participation
of Romania in the Iraqi crisis. The far right wing party says the decision
is aimed only at diverting public attention from domestic problems. The
announcement was made at a session in the House of Deputies on Tuesday.
RADOR, February 18
[04] "As far as NATO is concerned, we should be patient", Romanian foreign
minister says
Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu has offered details about his
meeting in Bonn with the head of the Foreign Policy Commission in German
Bundestag, Mr. Horhuess. He said the talks focused on issues concerning
NATO and EU enlargement. Mr Plesu said in a radio interview: "As far as the
EU enlargement is concerned, Romania's chances are very important. Germany
has a global view on Europe and she does not want to see parts of Europe
excluded, emphasising that the process should go further on. No break could
be productive as one could claim that the process broke down or dinounce
the strategy as incoherent. Therefore, there are arguments in support of a
continuous enlargement process". As far as NATO enlargement is concerned,
the Romanian foreign minister has stressed that, "for the time being, we
should be patient because all energy of decision-making bodies is now
concentrated on the accession of the first three countries already
nominated. Firstly, one should see how this process could be completed and
then think about its costs. Until then, no one can think too much about the
so-called second wave". RADOR, February 18
[05] Romanian-Ukrainian cross-border cooperation
Delegates of the National Command of Romanian border guards (CNG) and the
State Committee for state border defence in Ukarine have opened a two-day
meeting in the Romanian northern city of Iassy on Tuesday. The CNG
spokeswoman lt.col. Constanta Calinoiu said: "Romanian and Ukrainian border
authorities are establishing concrete measures and main actions to preserve
the stability of their common borders. We appreciate that our cooperation
relationship is extremely good and we hope they will further develop in a
spirit of frindship between our countries and people. The Romanian
delegation is headed by CNG commander division general Dumitru Lucas. The
head of the Ukrainian delegation is general lt. Dordiuk Petrovich, first
deputy president of the State Committee for state border defence in
Ukraine". RADOR, February 18
[06] Romanian military delegation on a visit to the US
A six-pilot Romanian delegation headed by commander Cristea Varlam is
visiting the US between February 17-26 for documentation on future training
exercises for the pilots on FAM fighter helicopters as Romanian air forces
are to use such planes in future. Starting on February 17, the visit will
end on February 26 and it is part of the "Mill to Mill" programme. The
programme is aimed at presenting the training system for pilot on fighter
helicopters, explaining the role of the simulator in trainig exercises as
well as the conditions for starting joint operations with air forces of
NATO Member States. RADOR, February 18
[07] Hungarian General Consulate tourist office opened in Cluj-Napoca
The tourist office of the Hungarian General Consulate has opened on Tuesday
in the Transylvanian town of Cluj-Napoca. The head of the office, Gaspar
Biro, is an expert committed to promote and improve tourist relations
between the two countries. Mr Biro has offered some details about the main
tasks of his activity in future: a strategic tourist promotion providing
information to those interested, relations and meetings between tourist
experts in both countries. RADOR, February 18
[08] Romanian-Hungarian meeting in Szeged
A high level meeting of the county councils presidents in the Danube-Mures-
Tisa Euro-region has opened in the Hungarian city of Szeged. Other
participants included representatives of nine Economic Chambers in Romania,
Hungary and the Serbian region of Vojvodina. A joint declaration of
regional cooperation was signed on the occasion. The regional cooperation
progrmme includes: opportunities for the Economic Chambers to promote
regional economic relations between companies in the field, joint
programmes and activities based on economic facilities in each partner
state, setting uo and use of a joint informatics system, support in the
setting up of banking institutions abd joint ventures in the area, tourism
development, package-programmes for different areas, support in promoting
research and implementing results, and support in developing regional
infrastructure and opening new border crossing points, mainly the one in
Cenad seen as a priority. RADOR, February 18
[09] Visas policy of the French embassy in Bucharest
The French ambassador to Bucharest, His Excellency Pierre Menat, has
explained the policy concerning visas for Romanians wishing to travel to
France. He said: "We act as part of a system of European obligations"
meaning that "the visas principles are decided within the EU, and their
implementation is established according to stipulations in the Schengen
Agreement". The ambassador expressed his hope that "there will be some
positive progress" in this respect, and, as "the Romanian public opinion
was very sensitive on the matter", the embassy of France would try to meet
its demands. "Nevertheless, every step should be based on information,
because one of our main problems is due to the fact that "the Romanians
wishing to get an entry visa are not informed about their rights and
obligations", Pierre Menat concluded. RADOR, February 18
[10] Romanian Senate delegation on a visit to London
A Romanian Senate delegation is in London to attend an international
conference on "Parliament and Public Life Standards" organised by the
British Association for Central and Eastern Europe. The association was
founded in 1967, but it extended its activity only after 1989 wishing to
encourage and support East-European countries on their way to democracy
based on market economy. The association is hosting seminars, conferences
and round tables where attenders can get more information about the British
experience in different fields. Among other issues, the meeting in London
will focus on the right of the people to get more information about the
private life of the politicians. The head of the association explained:
"How many details or how much could be a man entitled to know certain facts
about politicians - this is the most difficult and serious problems in a
democracy. Most of the politicians say their private life has nothing to do
with the public opinion as long as their personal, financial or sexual life
do not affect the work they were elected for. According to the press, such
opinion is wrong". RADOR, February 18
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