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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-03-25
March 25, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Senate debates concerning the ROMTELECOM motion
[02] More Romanian troops for peace-keeping forces in Bosnia
[03] UDMR meeting
[04] PDSR will not vote for the Budget and expects early elections
[05] Swearing-in ceremonies for new judges of the Supreme Court of Justice
[06] Indexation of salaries, pensions and state allocations for children
[07] Trade union protests
[08] Romanian president met parliament speakers in EU Associated Central
and East-European countries
[09] The president of the European Parliament made a speech before a joint
session in Romanian Parliament
[10] House of Deputies' Speaker Ion Diaconescu met President of the
European Parliament Jose Maria Gil Robles
[11] The president of the European Parliament met representatives of the
national minorities in Romania
[12] Romanian Foreign Minister on a visit to France
[13] Romanian Culture Minister on a visit to Budapest
[01] Senate debates concerning the ROMTELECOM motion
With 77 votes to 51, the Senate has rejected yesterday the Opposition-made
ROMTELECOM motion concerning the current privatisation process of the
Romanian communications company. The opposition senators have accused the
Telecommunications Ministry of violating the legislation in force, and
warned about serious damages for the state-owned companies of public,
social and defence interest. The opposition senators believe that the
transfer of stock shares to a foreign private investor may have serious
consequences for the Romanian communications. In their turn, the senators
representing the governing coalition replied that the privatisation of
ROMTELECOM could improve services and warned about the serious danger a
monopoly might be for the telecommunications system. RADOR, March 25
[02] More Romanian troops for peace-keeping forces in Bosnia
At a joint session on Tuesday, the Senate and the House of Deputies have
unanimously approved the request of the Romanian president concerning a
virtual increase in the number of Romanian infantery troops exclusively
destined to peace-keeping operaions as part of the strategic reserve for
SFOR troops in Bosnia. Following the decision yesterday, the number of
troops is expected to rise from 300 to 400 people. The MP groups
representing the opposition Greater Romania Party (PRM) have voted against
the decision while those representing the Romanians' National Unity Party
(PUNR) have abstained. RADOR, March 25
[03] UDMR meeting
At a meeting of the ruling Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania
(UDMR), some UDMR supporters have suggested that the party should withdraw
from the governing coalition, but, following a vote, their proposal was
however rejected. The proposal was mainly supported by the UDMR Honour
President, Bishop Laszlo Tokes. He has pointed out that the UDMR
participation in the governing coalition had rather negative results.
RADOR, March 25
[04] PDSR will not vote for the Budget and expects early elections
The opposition Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) will not vote
for the Budget the Ciorbea Cabinet has proposed. At a press conference on
Tuesday, Deputy Florin Georgescu said that, in both political-economic
conception and contents, the Budget was against the country's economic
interests and against the people. In PDSR opinion, the 1998 Budget will
lead to growing poverty and will prevent Romania from reaching her main
task - the Euro-Atlantic integration - as the Budget was both anti-national
and anti-social. Mr Georgescu added that the draft Budget reflects the
failure of the CDR-UDMR governing economic programme. When asked if one
coumd expect early elections this autumn, PDSR Vicepresident Ioan Mircea
Pascu said such a solution was neither the option of PDSR nor the option of
the ruling parties, but in order to solve the existing political crisis "we
are forced to take it into account". RADOR, March 25
[05] Swearing-in ceremonies for new judges of the Supreme Court of Justice
At Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest on Tuesday, Romanian President Emil
Constantinescu has attended the swearing-in ceremonies for new judges of
the Supreme Court of Justice. The judges include Silvia Georgeta Caramihai,
Rodica Moscu, Iuliana Popescu and Vasilica Verenca. In a short statement,
the president recalled that increased efforts were made for a growing
authority of the court after the fall of the communist regime, but the
Romanians seldom had the feeling that justice was made as it should be.
RADOR, March 25
[06] Indexation of salaries, pensions and state allocations for children
At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Government has made the decision to
index pensions and other security rights. The decision includes a 5%
indexation of pensions in March and April, and a 3% indexation in the next
months (May - December) up to a total of 21% by the end of the year. The
Government has decided as well a 65,000 lei state allocation for children
starting with March and the minimum salary of 350,000 lei starting with
April 1. Romanian Labour Minister Alexandru Athanasiu said that talks on
Tuesday between government officials and trade union delegates did not
succeed in finding a final solution concerning the indexation issue, and
discussions were expected to resume on Thursday. RADOR, March 25
[07] Trade union protests
Protests throughout the country were initiated on Tuesday by metal and
steel workers. In the Danube city of Galati, Metal National Trade Union
Confederation (CSNM) and other united trade unions in town have organised a
protest rally. Participants also included trade union delegates from Tulcea,
Braila, Barlad and Tecuci. In the Moldavian city of Roman, PETROTUB SA
trade union organised a protest march in the city centre. Similar protests
were mentioned in Targoviste, Slatina and Hunedoara. The protesters have
demanded emergency measures to stop the continuous drop in the standard of
living, new holdings to defend the Romanian metallurgy, lower energy and
petrol prices, the restructuring of the industry, efficient measures to
fight tax evasion and underground economy, and emergency measures to reduce
unemployment. RADOR, March 25
[08] Romanian president met parliament speakers in EU Associated Central
and East-European countries
At Cotroceni Palace in Tuesday, Romanian President Emil Constantinescu met
the speakers of the parliaments in EU Associated Central and East-European
countries. The president declared before the meeting that the presidents of
Central and East-European countries should conspicuously reveal the
authority and the role of their parliaments as one of the main problems the
parliaments faced was the approximation of their domestic laws to the EU
legislation. The Vicepresident of the European parliament, Mrs Magdalene
Hoff said the MPs should better explain the role their institution play and
the importance of a united Europe. Mrs Hoff has warned that one could not
know how much time the EU enlargement process would take, but accession
negotiations should start with all applicants at the same time. RADOR,
March 25
[09] The president of the European Parliament made a speech before a joint
session in Romanian Parliament
The President of the European Parliament Jose Maria Gil Robles has made a
speech at a joint session in Romanian Parliament on Tuesday. The guest said
Romania was part of a process which could be seen as the deepest, the most
peaceful but radical process in the history of modern Europe, and Romania
was not alone in it. Mr Robles has explained the European Parliament's view
concerning the future of Europe. He said the major problem for all EU
candidates was to meet the accession required criteria, but he reiterated
however that the accession process would start next month with all the EU
11 candidates. The EU official stressed it was a simultaneous strat, but
each apllicant was supposed to be examined separately in order to see who
was the first to meet the accession criteria. "A rapid integration, without
any guarantees, would be reckless", Mr Robles said. Concluding his speech,
the guest apprecuated the overwhelming commitment the Romanians showed
towards the EU integration, and he expressed the hope that the existing
political disputes could end. The Romanians should hope that Romania would
find her place in Europe, he added. RADOR, March 25
[10] House of Deputies' Speaker Ion Diaconescu met President of the
European Parliament Jose Maria Gil Robles
On Tuesday at the Parliament Palace, the President of the European
Parliament Jose Maria Gil Robles met the Speaker of the Romanian House of
Deputies Ion Diaconescu. Talks included issues concerning cooperation
between the two bodies and other similar institutions in Central and
Eastern Europe. Mr Diaconescu has denounced the fact that the Romanians and
the Bulgarians were subject to discrimination as they were the only
citizens in Central and East-European countries who needed entry visas for
the EU Member States, DETSCHE WELLE RADIO reports. He pleaded for the free
movement of the Romanians in Europe. RADOR, March 25
[11] The president of the European Parliament met representatives of the
national minorities in Romania
At the Parliament Palace on Tuesday evening, the President of the European
Parliament, Jose Maria Gil Robles, met representatives of the national
minorities in Romania. After the meeting he said he was satisfied with the
way the national minorities supported Romania in the process of her EU
integration. He indicated that the European Parliament was carefully
watching the way the human rights were observed, the minority rights
included. Mr. Jose Maria Gil Robles said "minority rights ensure the
balance beetween observing a diversity of rights and the need of minimum
common rights. It is important that this balance - which is however not
final - should improve in Romania", Mr Robles added. RADOR, March 25
[12] Romanian Foreign Minister on a visit to France
On Tuesday, while on a visit to Paris, Romania Foreign Minister Andrei
Plesu met the French Delegate Minister for European Affairs Pierre
Moscovici, Defence Minister Alain Richard and President Jacques Chirac. The
official talks reiterated the French support for Romania's accession to the
European and Euro-Atlantic structures. Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE)
spokesman Mihnea Motoc said that "France was committed to provide effective
assistance in order to accelerate Romania's preparations to join the EU in
its new, pragmatic and substantial enlargement process". While appreciating
recent improvements in the visas regime for Romanians wishing to travel to
France, the Romanian foreign minister mentioned however the existing
contradiction between Romania's status as EU Applicant State and her
presence on the so-called "black list". The talks included issues
concerning new ways to improve bilateral economic relations as it was
already known that Paris was the main foreign investor in Romania.
Culturally, the talks have revealed the dynamic actions Romania has taken
as a French-speaking country. RADOR, March 25
[13] Romanian Culture Minister on a visit to Budapest
On Tuesday in Budapest, while on a visit to Hungary, Romanian Culture
Minister Ion Caramitru signed along with his Hungarian counterpart an
additional document to the 1996-1998 Romanian-Hungarian Cultural
Cooperation Convention. At a join press conference, the two ministers have
offered detailes concerning the future Romanian Culture Week in Hungary
between March 27 - April 3. The Romanian minister left Budapest to attend
the International Book Fair in Leipzig. RADOR, March 25
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