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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-04-02The Press Agency of the Romanian Radio (RADOR Society) Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: RADOR Press Agency <http://indis.ici.ro/romania/news/rador.html>April 2, 1998CONTENTS
[01] Nominated by PNTCD, Radu Vasile may be the new prime minister of RomaniaThe leading committee of the Christian Democrat National Peasant Party (PNTCD) has decided to propose the party's Secretary General Radu Vasile as candidate for the position of prime minister. On Wednesday evening, the decision was made by secret vote, and it would be submitted to Romanian President Emil Constantinescu. 42 of the 64 voters have voted for Mr Radu Vasile's candidacy. Here are some excerpts from the statemenS the candidate made immediately after the voting: "It should be a political government. Therefore, technocrats are not supposed to take part in it". In case he will be nominated by the president, and then confirmed by Parliament, Mr Vasile said his first move would be to remake the Budget which has been already sent to Parliament for debates, and then start renewed negotiations with the IMF. He said he would try to obtain a raise in the budget deficit from 3.6% to 4.6%. Radu Vasile declared that his party did not intend to give up the Secretariat General of the Government, the Interior Ministry and some other economic ministries. The candidate added that the Finance Ministry was not under PNTCD control, but the issue was still to be dicussed. At the end of his statement, Radu Vasile has thanked the PNTCD for its confidence and stressed that it was the prime minister who had to rule the country. "The time has come that politicians learn what responsibility means for the destiny of She country", Mr Vasile concluded. The PNTCD list of candidates for the job of prime minister also included Mircea Ciumara and Sorin Dimitriu. RADOR[02] First reactions after PNTCD announcementThe leaders of the Democratic Party (PD) stopped short of making any statement. Alexandru Sassu, a senior PD member only said that the party was expected to announce its position on Thursday (April 2) after President Emil Constantinscu would designate the new prime minister.The National Liberal Party (PNL) said it was an objective proposal, and, if accepted by President Constantinescu, the party would support it. PNL spokeman Paul Pacuraru declared that Senator Radu Vasile was a wise, even- tempered man, and a good mediator in political relations with other parties. He added that, as Radu Vasile was a good economist, this could be a good start for the new government as the reform was its main priority. PNL leader Mircea Ionescu Quintus said he praised Mr Vasile as a man, but he refSsed to make any comments about the PNTCD decision. The leader of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), Marko Bela, expressed his satisfaction with the PNTCD decision on Wednesday evening, and said that, according to the algorithm already agreed, his party was expected to control the same ministries in the new government. The leader of the Romanian Social-Democrat Party (PSDR), Sergiu Cunescu, said the PNTCD decision was good, and expressed the hope that President Constantinescu would agree with it, and his party would cooperate fully with the new government. The president of Romania's Alternative Party, Varujan Vosganian, said the PNTCD decision was the best for the coalition as Radu Vasile was supported by all ruling partners. The PAR leader expressed his belief that President Constantinescu would support the proposal. RADOR [03] President Constantinescu had further talks with representatives of the parties in ParliamentAt the Cotroceni PalacS on Wednesday, Romanian President Emil Constantinescu had further talks with leaders of the parties in Parliament concerning the nomination of the new prime minister. The president of the Romanians' National Unity Party (PUNR), Valeriu Tabara, said his party was not expected to support an off- hand government including doubtful members such as those representing the UDMR. Mr Tabara added that, in his opinion, the political structure of the new government was already decided. The PUNR leader believes that both the former and the new ministers should admit responsibility for the Budget, but his party was not expected to vote for a budget of no priority with 80% of its revenues provided by tax-payers.The leader of the Alliance for Romania party (ApR), Teodor Melescanu, who met the Romanian president yesterday, said after the meeting that the removal of the government should also involve a new governing programme designed to ensure a stable income for the people and stop their impoSerishment. Mr Melescanu said the coalition should change its metality and added that his party was expected to express its opinion about the Budget after its priorities would be examined. At the Cotroceni Palace on Wednesday, Romanian President Emil Constantinescu met the MP chief representative of the national minorities in Romania, the Hungarians excepted. The leader of the group Varujan Pambuccian expressed his support for the idea of political stability - an essential condition for economic reform and Euro-Atlantic integration. The group would like a strong government with strong parliamentary support and every ability to achieve real economic reform in Romania, Mr Pambuccian concluded. RADOR [04] PNTCD conditions for its participation in the governmentPNTCD leading committee has approved the document put forward by its Coordination and Control Bureau (BCCC) concerning the minimal conditions for the party's participation in the goverment. The conditions include: debatesSaround the Budget, social securities budget, and their voting, an accelerated privatisation ensured, return of all estates, amendments to Law 112/1995 according to the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly resolution concerning the return of all confiscated buildings to their legal owners, fair compensations when the return is not possible and guarantees protecting tenants. If the other coalition partners were not supposed to share the PNTCD minimal conditions, then the party would not participate in the government. PNTCD will support in Parliament any other government including the parties in the coalition as long as its decision will not contravene the party's political programme, RRA reports. RADOR[05] PD president about his meeting with PNTCD leadersThe PD President Petre Roman said that, for the time being, no claims were made at the official meeting with PNTCD leaders on Wednesday. The PD leader said he knew that, according to press reports, the PNTCD intended to impSse such requests as the adoption of the restitutio in integrum law, but he stopped short of commenting any press report on the issue. Mr Roman only said that there were chances to restore the coalition, but the coalition could not allow itself to form an inefficient government. RADOR[06] NATO Secretary general Javier Solana on a visit to RomaniaNATO Secretary General Javier Solana arrived in Bucharest on Wednesday for a one-day visit. While at the Bucharest Airport of Baneasa, Mr Solana declared he was grateful to Romania for her participation in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia. On the other hand, the NATO secretary general said he came to examine along with the authorities in Bucharest recent political and economic developments in the country. Yesterday evening, Javier Solana has attended a working dinner with Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu and Defence Minister Constantin Dudu Ionescu. On Thursday, the NATO chief was to meet the acting prime minister Gavril Dejeu, MPScommissioners for foreign affairs, the speakers of the two Houses un the Romanian Parliament and President Emil Constantinescu. RADOR[07] MAE statement concerning situation at Romanian embassy in BonnAt a press conference on Wednesday, the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) has informed that, until March 31, it did not receive any official document accusing Romanian diplomats with the Romanian embassy in Bonn of delivering false papers to Romanian criminals operating in Germany. Last Sunday, March 29, the Romanian foreign and interior ministers have sent a delegation to Bonn for an inquiry into the incident. "Following talks at the Romanian Foreign and Interior Ministries headquarters and the Ministry of Justice in Germany, the Romanian delegates were informed that the institutions have learned about the accusations made by the Attorney General's Office in Cologne in the German press of March 25", the MAE spokesman said. "The inquiry commission will stay in Bonn until the accusaSions will be completely clarified. If results will prove the involvement of MAE workers into the affair, then tough measures are to be taken", the spokesman warned. RADORThe Press Agency of the Romanian Radio (RADOR Society) Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |