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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-03-06
March 6, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Parliament proceedings
[02] PD says political disputes within the governing coalition should end
[03] A desperate solution
[04] PSDR will vote for the Budget
[05] "CURS" opinion poll results
[06] President Constantinescu on a visit to the Netherlands
[07] Joint press conference Constantinescu-Kok
[01] Parliament proceedings
Debates concerning the draft law on meal tickets were delayed in both the
Romanian Senate and the House of Deputies as one of its provisions was
still subject to differences. No date was announced for the resumption of
the talks, but the issue was however a good opportunity for further
disputes between governing and opposition parties. The MPs representing the
governing parties have reiterated their old claims: the lack of funds, and
no time available for implementing the law. And more, a representative of
the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), Deputy Robert
Raduly, said that some trade unions were opposing the law. Quoting the
Dacia-Pitesti trade union leader, Mr Raduly said "the trade unions did not
understand the very meaning of the law, and claimed that the law was
anachronistic and disadvantageous to the workers". Nevertheless, the
Opposition does not share such claims and and says the law should become
operational as soon as possible, especially after the petrol price rise.
The Opposition says the delay (until 1999) was ordered by the IMF and the
governing coalition should not be proud of it. RADOR
[02] PD says political disputes within the governing coalition should end
In a statement issued to the press after the meeting of its Political
Council, the governing Democratic Party (PD) says it is convinced that the
current political crisis could end in ten days at the latest. According to
the PD, a new governing programme could end the crisis. The Social-
Democrats say such a programme should be coordinated by a new government
with the parliament strong support. The PD document issued on Thursday
evening is actually an analyse of the political, economic and social
situation in Romania. The PD leaders say there are 8 priorities for the
government to come. Among other things, such priorities include the
institutional reform, the restructuring of the big autonomous companies, an
accelerated privatisation and the transparency of commercial companies
under the State Ownership Fund (FPS) control. RADOR
[03] A desperate solution
The president of the governing National Liberal Party (PNL), Mircea Ionescu
Quintus, says the increase in the petrol accise duties was a desperate
solution aimed at raising the Budget. At a press conference on Thursday,
MrQuintus has expressed his hope that the adoption of the Budget would not
be followed by other unpopular measures affecting the standard of living.
Mr Quintus believes that the decision could help the the government in its
attempt to control the petrol market and prevent the petrol smuggling into
neighbouring countries. On the other hand, the PNL leader said the PD could
rejoin the government as soon as a new Cabinet was formed to please all
governing parties. On the other hand, Mr Quintus believes that unless the
1998 Budget was approved, one could not speak about a new Cabinet. RADOR
[04] PSDR will vote for the Budget
The governing Romanian Social-Democrat Party (PSDR) said it took over the
responsability for the Budget and therefore, it would vote for it. At a
press conference on Thursday, PSDR leader Sergiu Cunescu said that,
irrespective of the PD, his party did not remain in the government on
condition that Prime Minister Ciorbea be removed from office. The PSDR
leader has condemned the absurd disputes between the Christian-Democrat
National Peasant Party (PNTCD) and the PD and said that such continuing
misunderstandings could only stop the reform. RADOR
[05] "CURS" opinion poll results
According to "CURS" opinion poll results as published by the press,
President Emil Constantinescu is at the top of the list in case
presidential elections would take place in the very next future. As far as
the parties are concerned, the list is rather surprising. President
Constantinescu tops by far the list of presidential candidates with 45%
followed by Ion Iliescu, Corneliu Vadim Tudor and Teodor Melescanu.
Nevertheless, the articles in the press did not say a word about the top of
Romanian political parties. The Democratic Convention in Romania (CDR)
leads with 28% - a dramatic fall of 14% in more than two month of political
crisis (in December, CDR got 42%). As usual, CDR is followed by the Party
of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) - 18%. The Social-Democrat Union
(USD) hit surprisingly the same 18%. The Greater Romania Party (PRM) is the
fourth (13%) followed by the Alliance for Romania party (ApR - 8%). 35% of
the voters said they would not go to the poll or they were undecided.
RADOR
[06] President Constantinescu on a visit to the Netherlands
After talks with HM Queen Beatrix and Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok,
Romanian President Emil Constantinescu met European and foreign affairs
commissioners in the Dutch Senate. The Romanian president made a speech
before the Dutch MPs, famous for their lobbying abilities. Mr
Constantinescu reiterated the importance of the solidarity the Western
democracies prove for the Central and East-European countries in
transition. He said the Romanian reform is going on faster than they
usually say and he invited the Dutch MPs to come and see it with their own
eyes. In this respect, the president said that what may seem a political
crisis is actually a democratic debate and he reiterated the political will
for Romania's NATO integration. The Dutch MPs expressed their interest in
developing bilateral relations, in mining restructuring and the situation
of the Rromani people. RADOR
[07] Joint press conference Constantinescu-Kok
A joint press conference Emil Constantinescu - Wim Kok was organised in the
Hague on Thursday. The Dutch prime After the Convention on preventing
double tax and the Romanian-Dutch Agreement were signed by ministers of the
two sides, the Dutch prime minister said that Dutch investors were very
interested in Romania. The Romanian president informed that talks mainly
focused on strengthening cooperation in the fight against organised crime
as the Dutch experience in fighting the oil and maritime transports mafia
was very useful to Romania. For the time being, there is a series of joint
projects involving Shell Oil and UNIGAS which could raise the Dutch
investments in Romania. One can now speak openly about Romania's future
accession to the EU and NATO, Prime Minister Kok added. RADOR
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