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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-05-26
May 26, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Romanian President Emil Constantinescu on a Visit to Canada;
[02] Prime Minister Radu Vasile Is Visiting Turkey;
[03] Romanian Government Will Not Change Its Policy on Minorities;
[04] UDMR Leader Beleives Election Results in Hungary Could Not Damage
Romanian-Hungarian Relations;
[05] SRR and SRTV Law in Parliament Agains;
[06] 1997 Report of the Supreme Council for the Country's Defence;
[07] PNTCD Legal Initiative;
[08] PNTCD Against Individual Candidacies;
[09] Senator George Pruteanu To Be Replaced as Chief Commissioner for
Education;
[10] New Member of Liberal Federation.
[01] Romanian President Emil Constantinescu on a visit to Canada
President Emil Constantinescu has started his visit to Canada ahead of a
delegation of Romanian high ranking officials. He is to attend an
international conference in Montreal as its fourth edition this year is
focused on European issues. It is the first official visit by a Romanian
head of state since December 1989. The first day's agenda includes a series
of meetings in Ottawa. President Constantinescu met yesterday Canadian
Prime Minister Jean Chretien who was playing a key-role in Canadian
policies as head of the Canadian Federal Government. Romanian Foreign
Minister Andrei Plesu had talks with his Canadian counterpart Lloyd
Axworthy.
Mr Constantinescu and his delegation were given a welcome by Canadian
Governor General Romeo Leblanc as representative of the British Crown. "On
the verge of the 21-st century, I believe that the first official visit by
a Romanian president democratically elected will be the landmark of our
closer relations in future. All opportunities are being provided for both
Romania and Canada in order to become privileged partners", Governor
Leblanc said. In his turn, the Romanian president expressed his confidence
in the longlasting bilateral relations: "Canada has repeatedly supported
Romania's efforts and we all appreciated it. Romania should be part of the
growing globalisation process in order to recover from its Cold War years".
RADOR
[02] Prime Minister Radu Vasile is visiting Turkey
While in Istanbul on Monday, the Romania delegation led by Prime Minister
Radu Vasile went on touring the city. Attending a lunch offered by his
Turkish counterpart Mesut Yilmaz, Mr Vasile had talks focused on bilateral
trade and cooperation opportunities in food industry, refinery and oil
pipes building as issues of mutual interest. Mr Vasile said Romania
believed Turkey was a traditional economic and trade partner and regional
power as well. RADOR
[03] Romanian Government will not change its policy on minorities
Referring to the results of the general elections in Hungary, the leader of
the ruling Christian democrat national Peasant Party (PNTCD) Ion Diaconescu,
also speaker of the House of Deputies, said at a press conference on Monday
that the policy of the Romanian Government and the governing coalition was
not related to the political changes in Budapest. "We absolutely observe
all international legislation on minorities as we actually have observed it
in the past", Mr Diaconscu pointed out. RADOR
[04] UDMR leader believes election results in Hungary could not damage
Romanian- Hungarian relations
Commenting the results of the general elections in Hungary, the leader of
the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) said: "The
Hungarian voters have thought that an adjustment was needed, and they did
it". Mr Marko Bela congratulated the Union of Democratic Youth (FIDESZ) for
their victory pointing out the close relations between the two parties
since 1990. "FIDESZ is informed about the situation of Hungarians in
Romania and now, as a ruling party, it could benefit from it", Mr Marko
said recalling that FIDESZ insisted its policy concerning the Hungarians
abroad would be based on opinions of Hungarian minorities. The UDMR leader
rejected the alleged deterioration of Hungarian-Romanian relations
following the right wing victory in Hungarian general elections. "These
fears are unjustified as right wing parties rule Romania as well. The Party
of Hungarian Life and Justice is not expected to join the governing
coalition as most of the parties in parliament have ruled out such a
possibility. Therefore, there is no reason for Romanian-Hungarian relations
to deteriorate", the UDMR leader pointed out. RADOR
[05] SRR and SRTV law in parliament again
The Senate has adopted the report of the mediation commission to solve
differences over the draft law amending and completing the Law 41/1994
concerning the activity and structure of the Romanian Broadcasting Company
(SRR) and Romanian Television Company (SRTV). According to the new law, the
presidents of the boards will also cover the position of director general.
The presidents and the members of the boards are to be accepted at a joint
session of the Senate and the House of Deputies through majority voting.
The draft law is to be directly promulgated as the sena2ors have approved
all the amendments the commissiones proposed. RADOR
[06] 1997 report of the Supreme Council for the Country's Defence
The Supreme Council for the Country's Defence (CSAT) has submitted to the
Permanent Bureau of the House of Deputies the report on its activity in
1997. The report says that CSAT's evaluation last September led to the
conclusion that the reduction in spendings for defence institutions badly
affected their activity. Last year, the council has drawn up the national
security strategy still to be completed according to proposals made by
national security institutions. CSAT informs Parliament about its emergency
measures aimed at completing unreasonably delayed corruption inquiries.
Consequently, over 2,000 billion lei were recovered from financial frauds,
tax evasion, etc. RADOR
[07] PNTCD legal initiative
Four PNTCD deputies have submitted to the Permanent Bureau a legal
initiative amending the law on SRI structures (ed.n. SRI - Romanian
Intelligence Service). According to the deputies, commercial companies
under SRI coordination should be banned from operating economic activities.
They believe the measure could rule out any doubts about an alleged illegal
activity. The four deputies propose the SRI to coordinate only health
insitutions and cultural-sporting associations. RADOR
[08] PNTCD against individual candidacies
PNTCD leader Ion Diaconescu told a press conference on Monday that the
closing down of the UM 0215 and the restructuring of the SPP (ed.n.
Presidential Guard and Security Service) were welcomed for the country's
future. According to the PNTCD leader, the decision made by the CSAT proved
that the structures of the past would be gradually eliminated. PNTCD is
supporting the idea of a 5% electoral threshold in the next elections but
it believes that, at least for the time being, the individual candidacies
could be a mistake as the Romanian political class was still not strong
enough. Mr Diaconescu has welcomed the attempt of Romanian political forces
to unite on ideological criteria, but, as he put it, the Romanian society
today was still not prepared for the move. RADOR
[09] Senator George Pruteanu to be replaced as chief commissioner for
education
PNTCD leader Ion Diaconescu said on Monday that Senator George Pruteanu was
given notice of his exclusion from the party. Mr Diaconescu added that the
senator has been also removed from his position of chief commissioner for
education in the Romanian Senate. The party is to make a proposal on the
matter. Senator Ulm Spineanu is expected to inform the Permanent Bureau of
the Senate and request for another nomination as the PNTCD is entitled to
head the education commission. RADOR
[10] New member of Liberal Federation
The Liberal Federation including the Liberal Party (PL), the Campeanu wing
of the National Liberal Party (PNL-C) and the Liberal Christian Party has
accepted a new member. The Liberal Monarchist Party (PLM) has announced its
adherence to the federation. PNL-C spokesman Andrei Tanase told a press
conference on Monday that the federation was also expected to include the
Christian Democrat Union (UCD) in the very next future. He expressed the
hope that the unification and restructuring of parties around a single
doctrine and policy could clear up the Romanian political stage. RADOR
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