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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-05-08
May 8, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] House of Deputies Proceedings;
[02] Senate Proceedings;
[03] Government Meeting;
[04] Recent Developments in the "Cigarette Operation";
[05] According to Government Spokeman, the Prime Minister Is Carefully
Watching Inquiry into Cogarette Smuggling Case;
[06] Presidential Adviser Dorin Marian Vs. PDSR Senator Radu Timofte;
[07] PNL Demand: Amendments to Electoral Law and the Law on Political
Parties;
[08] Protestes in Jiu River Valley;
[09] Romanian Foreign Minister Meetings;
[10] NATO Political-Military Committee Meeting in Bucharest;
[11] MAE Sanctions.
[01] House of Deputies proceedings
On Thursday, the Romanian House of Deputies has started the debates on
articles in draft law concerning the prevention and sanction of money
laundring through the financial-banking system. The new regulations
establish the money lundring methos to be sanctioned, and the obligation of
those concerned to prevent the money laundring through their own banking
system. The law also stipulates that a National Office for the prevention
of maoney laundring should be set up. Details concerning its attributions
are clearly explained in the first 12 articles already adopted. The
deputies have also approved article 13 in the draft law on the activity of
the SPP (Presidential Guard and Protection Service) as propsed by the
special commission. According to the article, the SPP cannot initiate phone
tapping or audio and video recordings unless they are previously approved.
According to the law on national security, only the Romanian Intelligence
Service (SRI) has the right to carry out such operations. RADOR
[02] Senate proceedings
The law allowing the access to personal files and the disclosure of the
former Securitat as political police was subject to further debates in the
Romanian Senate on Thursday. A new article was included on the occasion
authorising the National Council for Intelligence Archive Studies to
publish information concerning the identity, the nicknames and the
positions of active or undercover senior officers and officers in
Securitate services involved in political police activity. The senators
have also adopted some articles establishing the status of the former
Securitate agents and informer as well as articles concerning the setting
up of the future council. RADOR
[03] Government meeting
The situation of Romanian naval companies was examined at a government
meeting on Thursday. The ministers have decided that, at the next Cabinet
meeting, the Privatisation Ministry, the Transport Ministry and the State
Ownership Fund (FPS) should present reports on the matter. Privatisation
Minister Sorin Dimitriu said there was a contract between the FPS and the
ABM AMRO Bank, and some experts have gone to Constanta for an evaluation of
the three naval companies there. They are expected to present their short
term solutions in the next three months. According to a forecast, if in
force this year, the meal tickets law would cost almost 1% of the GDP. The
RRA says that President Emil Constantinescu could prevent it, if he were to
sent the draft law back parliament. As far as the growing country risk was
concerned, the Government expressed the hope that the situation was not
perpetuating. RADOR
[04] Recent developments in the "Cigarette Operation"
A five-day arrest warrant was issued for Deputy Commander of the Otopeni
International Airport Valentin Vasilescu. He was arrested last night unde
the accusation of involvment in smuggling and association to crime.
Military prosecutors have ruled another 25 days arrest for Stefan Andreias,
Marian Chiata and Gabriel Negoescu. A previous five-day arrest warrant for
the three men was issued on May 2. Attorney General Sorin Moisescu has
informed that another arrest warrant was issued on the name of a woman but
he stopped short of unveiling her name. The Attorney's Office of Dolj
County Court has issued a 30-day arrest warrant on the name of Nabil
Baktazar, the Romanian-Syrian owner of Joy SRL company, under the
accusation of tax evasion and intelectual forgery. Police and Financial
Guard officers have found Assos cigaretttes both at the company
headquarters in the Malorex Market and the house of Nabil Baktazar's father-
in-law in Malul Mare. The cigarettes are supposed to be part of the "March
23 transport" unloaded on the Otopeni airport. RADOR
[05] According to government spokesman, the prime minister is carefully
watching inquiry into cigarette smuggling case
At the Government meeting on Thursday, Romanian Interior Minister Gavril
Dejeu has presented a report concerning recent developments in the
"Operation Cigarette 2" inquiry while Defence Minister Victor Babiuc has
announced that his investigations were extended to other military airports
near civil ones in order to prevent incidents similar to those in Otopeni.
At a press conference yesterday (may 7), Government spokesman Razvan
Popescu informed that Prime Minister Radu Vasile was carefully watching
theM investigation and expressed the hope that the authorities would prove
their skills and discover who the criminals really were. RADOR
[06] Presidential adviser Dorin Marian Vs. PDSR Senator Radu Timofte
Presidential adviser Dorin Marian has announced that he was to wait for
PDSR Senator Radu Timofte at the Attorney General's Office with the Supreme
Court of Justice on Friday morning. The senator representing the opposition
Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) said he had clear evidence
about the alleged involvement of Dorin Marian in the cigarette smuggling.
Mr Marian said he decided to bring the senator to justice because his
accusations were badly affecting both the Presidency and his own family.
RADOR
PDSR Senator Radu Timofte said neither the Military nor the Attorney
Ganeral's Office did not call him up to provide evidence (ed.n. in
connection with presidensial adviser Dorin Marian). Mr Timofte says Mr
Marian's move is a serious error. If Dorin Marian wanted to meet him
privately, then he was ready to meet him anywhere. RADOR
[07] PNL demand: amendments to electoral law and the law on political
parties
PNL believes that both the lectoral law and the law on political parties
should be amended. At a press conference on Thursday, PNL Senator Paul
Pacuraru said his party would like the law on political parties to include
a chapter concerning the activity of a party and a raise in the minimum
number of members by almost 100% (from 10,000 to 20-25,000 members).
According to the PNL, a party should have branches in 15 counties at least.
RADOR
[08] Protests in Jiu river Valley
Some 50 miners have locked themselves up in a mine in Livezeni on the Jiu
river Valley, and refused to get out. A group of 12 miners have initiated
the protest on Wednesday evening, but soon they were joined by other
miners. According to the same source, the miners are displeased with their
salaries. RADOR
[09] Romanian foreign minister's meetings
While on a visit to Romania, the Turkish interior minister met Romanian
Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu on Thursday afternoon. After the meeting, the
Romanian minister informed that the talks focused on issues concerning the
fight against organised crime and drug traffiking and both sides had
concluded that their cooperation in the field proves extremely successful.
The ministers have agreed to establish closer connections in order to get a
growing efficiency. Mr Plesu estimated that political relations between the
two countries were getting closer and closer, and appreciated Turkey's
support for Romania's NATO integration. RADOR
Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu met Austrian Defence Minister Werner
Fasslabend. Their talks focused on the situation in the Balkans, the Kosovo
crisis and, last but not least, the NATO expansion. When asked about the
new MAE state secretaries, Mr Plesu informed that the full team would be
announced soon, but he stressed that the nominations were based only on
competence.(RMDOR)
[10] NATO Political-Military Committee meeting in Bucharest
While in the Romanian capital on Thursday, NATO Deputy Secretary Sergio
Balanzino said that the meetings in Bucharest of the NATO Political-
Military Committee and Euro-Atlantic Partenrship Council were a proof that
Romania was interested and involved in NATO's activity. He said the event
was an opportunity to consolidate, enlarge and secure the Partnership for
Peace. Mr Balanzino indicated that both NATO and Romania were interested in
a successful meeting. RADOR
[11] MAE sanctions
Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu has approved the proposal made by
the Honorary Council of the Foreign Ministry (MAE) concerning the
definitive callback and dismissal of Constantin Palascu, first secretary
and chief of the Consular department with the Romanian embassy in Bonn and
Gheorghe Stanescu, first secretary and consul in the German capital. The
measures were taken following a MAE inquiry and they were announced on
Thursday by Director General of the Consular and Justice Directorate
Cristian Diaconescu. He has informed that both Palascu and Stanescu were
excluded from diplomacy. MAE is to sent to its diplomatic and consular
offices abroad a series of regulations aimed at preventing similar
incidents. The ministry is also expected to review the job files in order
to clear up responsabilities. RADOR
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