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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-03-03
March 3, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Romanian President Emil Constantinescu met PNTCD representatives
[02] Romanian Presidency response to Ion Iliescu remarks
[03] Senate proceedings
[04] Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea on the Budget of 1998
[05] PNTCD comments on negotiations with the IMF
[06] Priorities for the new transport minister
[07] First press conference of the new minister of research and technology
[08] Law on national cultural heritage protection promulgated
[09] PDSR says the president has violated the Consitution
[10] PNL-Campeanu press conference
[11] Romanian Senate speaker on a visit to Morocco
[12] Deputy speaker of the House of Deputies on a visit to Paris
[01] Romanian President Emil Constantinescu met PNTCD representatives
Romanian President Emil Constantinescu met leaders and executives of the
governing Christian-Democrat National Peasant Party (PNTCD) along with
PNTCD MPs on Monday evening, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI reports. After the
meeting, President Constantinescu said they all agreed that, irrespective
of political costs and according to his responsabilities, they should act
decisively and take measures of effective reform in order to surpass the
legal blockage as soon as possible. The president said it was a good
opportunity to improve contacts within the party and establish better
relations with other member parties in the governing coalition and
opposition parties as well. President Constantinescu said he has urged "all
parties involved to confirm the agreement the budget-finance and economic
commissions have reached in order to complete, adopt and pass the law of
the Budget by the end of March". According to the same source, the
president has denied that the dismissal of Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea
was subject to debates. RADOR, March 3
[02] Romanian Presidency response to Ion Iliescu remarks
Referring to recent remarks of former Romanian president, Senator Ion
Iliescu, a press communique says the Romanian Presidency Press Office was
entitled to declaSe that President Emil Constantinescu never stated that
Romania was to receive 60 billion dollars in loans or investments. RADOR,
March 3
[03] Senate proceedings
Opening the Senate session on Monday, Senator Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu
has asked his colleagues to resume debates around the draft law allowing
access to former Securitate files. With a majority of votes, the senators
have approved the resumption of debates on the issue later this week.
Senate Deputy Speaker Cristian Dumitrescu has announced the decision the
Senate Permanent Bureau made on Monday in order to allow free access to
journalists at senatorial commissions proceedings if the commissioners were
to agree with it. According to the decision, the press will be offered a
special hall and all the facilities it needs. Mr Dumitrescu has expressed
his hope that decision was to put an end to recent disputes between the
Senate leadership and the Romanian Press Club. In the opinion of the PD
senator, a previous decision ofSthe Senate Permanent Bureau was
misunderstood. RADOR, March 3
[04] Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea on the Budget of 1998
At a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea has offered
details concerning the 1998 Budget: an estimated inflation of 45% and a
budget deficit of 3.6% of the GDP. Among other things, the draft law on the
Budget stipulates social protection funds estimated at 10% of the GDP,
representing 40% of the total gains in the budget. The prime minister
explained that the main difficulty in drawing up the budget was the
decrease in the budget revenues caused by facilities provided to SMEs and
the increase of state spendings at the same time. RADOR, March 3
[05] PNTCD comments on negotiations with the IMF
The PNTCD leadership considers that the departure of the IMF negotiating
team meant only a delay in the discussions until the Budget was completed.
At a press conference on Monday, PNTCD leader Ion Diaconescu has explained
the attitude of the IMF negotiatoSs: "These signs of discontent are due
more to the political situation in the country than to the mismanagement of
the governing programme as such a mismanagement was however predictable
giving the extraodinary difficulties we face". As as the political
instability is concerned, the PNTCD leader has stressed that the situation
remained "stationary" though coalition partenrs were involved in further
discussions. "While the PNTCD is preoccupied with completing the Budget,
the Democrats are interested in replacing the prime minister", Mr
Diaconescu added. RADOR, March 3
[06] Priorities for the new transport minister
At a press conference on Monday, Romanian Transport Minister Anton Ionescu
said that the railways restructuring was a political matter. Referring to
other sectors, the new minister has stressed the necessity of reorganising
the fleet on new bases. As far as the so-called "Basescu tax" is concerned,
Mr Ionescu announced that it would be adjusted in 1999, according to
priceS. RADOR, March 3
[07] First press conference of the new minister of research and technology
At the R&T Ministry headquarters on Monday, the new R&T Minister Horia Ene
met the press for the first time. According to the statement, his
priorities include: a competent team of experts who may share their
experience throughout the country, and the governing programme to be
achieved according to the EU conditions. Reffering to the existing three
research structures, Mr Ene has pleaded for a closer cooperation between
the R&T Ministry, the Romanian Academy and the Ministry of National
Education. In this respect, the minister has mentioned as a positive step
the association between chairs in some faculties and research institutes.
RADOR, March 3
[08] Law on national cultural heritage protection promulgated
A press communique issued on Monday by the Romanian Presidency Press Office
announces that President Emil Constantinescu has signed the decree
promulgating the law on national cultural hSritage protection. RADOR,
March 3
[09] PDSR says the president has violated the Consitution
In a statement made on Monday in the Romanian Senate by Senator Doru Ioan
Taracila, the Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) said that as long
as the president himself violated the Constitution, the respect of the law
could not prevail. The PDSR senator has mentioned that, last Friday, the
Romanian president has criticised the Ministry of Justice on the occasion
of its annual report though the ministry was not under Presidency control.
The statement says that "the president flagrantly interfered in matters
concerning the legal power by seemingly threatning the judges". RADOR,
March 3
[10] PNL-Campeanu press conference
The Campeanu wing of the National Liberal Party (PNL-C) expresses its
regrets for the governing National Liberal Party (PNL) decision not to join
the Liberal Federation. At a press conference on Monday, PNL-C leader Radu
Campeanu said his party was pleading for a furSher dialogue with the PNL,
but the attitude of the PNL and its decision to merger with the PAC (Civic
Alliance Party) was an obstacle in the Liberal unification process. As far
as the law of the Budget was concerned, the PNL-C leadership said the
current government should present it and then resign. RADOR, March 3
[11] Romanian Senate speaker on a visit to Morocco
On the occasion of The Day of the Throne, Romanian Senate Speaker Petre
Roman has gone to Morocco on Monday for an official visit. The Romanian
delegation includes senior MPs and Romanian businessmen interested in
developing cooperation relations with Morocco, an Arab Mediterranean
country with a major role in relations between northern Africa and Europe.
Mr Roman is to meet King Hassan, the Morroccan prime minister and the
foreign minister as well as Moroccan MPs. "I believe it was important to
answer the invitation along with some of my colleagues in the Senate", Mr
Roman said. "Morocco is a country promoting close reSations with Romania in
recent decades. Romania has developed a series of projects in the country
especially in the building industry", Mr Roman recalled. RADOR, March 3
[12] Deputy speaker of the House of Deputies on a visit to Paris
On Monday, the Deputy Speaker of the Romanian House of Deputies Adrian
Nastase attended a meeting in Paris of the Legal and Human Rights
Commission with the Parliament Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Discussions focused on the draft convention concerning the environment
protection, the illegal sectarian activities (where Mr Nastase is
raporteur) and European domestic security services control issues. On
Tuesday, the deputy speaker is to participate in a conference at the
Diplomatic Academy in Paris on "Romania after Ceausescu". He is to meet
senators and academics. On March 6 and 7, Mr Nastase is due to the Italian
city of Venice to attend a meeting of the Legal Commission. According to
the same source, Adrian Nastase is a member of the Legal CommiSsion in the
CE Parliament Assembly. RADOR, March 3
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