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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-05-27
May 27, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] 1998 Draft Budget Passed by Parliament;
[02] Meeting of Governing Coalition Leaders;
[03] PD Believes Minister Berceanu's Decision Was Absolutely Legal;
[04] Remus Opris Criticises Industry and Trade Minister's Decision;
[05] UM 0215 - Still Operational;
[06] Sorin Oprescu - Single Candidate of Opposition Parties in Elections
for Bucharest City Hall;
[07] Romanian President's Visit to Canada;
[08] Prime Minister Radu Vasile Has Ended His Visit to Turkey;
[09] MAE Congratulates Winners of Hungarian Elections;
[10] Confused Statements of FIDESZ Leader Viktor Orban;
[11] PUNR Is Concerned About Statements of FIDESZ Leaders;
[12] AUR Communique;
[13] Romanian to Host Headquarters of International Peace-Keeping Force in
South-East Europe.
[01] 1998 draft Budget passed by Parliament
The Romanian senators and deputies have passed the 1998 draft Budget. The
Budget was passed with 231 for, 129 against and 3 abstentions. The
Opposition has voted against the Budget after renewed criticism about the
project. RADOR
[02] Meeting of governing coalition leaders
The leaders of the parties in the governing coalition met for the fist time
on Tuesday since the Vasile Cabinet was sworn-in, the RRA reported. The
talks focused on recent moves by Industry and Trade Minister Radu Berceanu
who dismissed the former managers of RENEL, ROMGAZ and SNP (ed.n. Romanian
national suppliers of energy, gas and oil) without consulting Prime
Minister Radu Vasile. According to the statement made by the leader of the
ruling Christian Democrat National Peasant Party (PNTCD), Ion Diaconescu,
the coalition leaders have decided to continue debates over the issue after
Mr Berceanu's return to the country when discussions should take into
account both the competence of the nominees and the agreements between
governing parties. In his turn, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party
(PD), Petre Roman, said the talks were productive as all the leaders
admitted that the reform this year could not be successful unless the
autonomous companies were part of the restructuring process. Prime Minister
Vasile said that "there was no question of a political crisis or something
of the sort". RADOR
[03] PD believes minister Berceanu's decision was absolutely legal
PD leader Petre Roman said the decision of Industry and Trade Minister Radu
Berceanu to designate new administration councils for the main autonomous
companies was perfectly legal. Politically, the decision answers the
objectives the coalition is willing to reach as the main priority is the
reform, and the restructuring of RENEL, ROMGAZ and SNP was an important
stage in the process. Mr Roman added the decision was based on competence
only and none of the nominees were PD members. RADOR
[04] Remus Opris criticises industry and trade minister's decision
Referring to the decision of Industry and Trade Minister Radu Berceanu to
replace the administration councils of RENEL, ROMGAZ and SNP, PNTCD
Vicepresident Remus Opris has explained on Tuesday that the incompetence of
PNTCD managers was out of question. He said he did not hear anything of a
supposed report of activity that could justify their dismissal. "If the PD
believes Mr Berceanu's decision was fair, that means the PD is trying to
gain electoral capital by further harassing its coalition partners", Mr
Opris. RADOR
[05] UM 0215 - still operational
In a statement on Tuesday, Romanian Interior Minister Gavril Dejeu said he
did not order the break up of UM 0215 because he was still expecting the
report by the special commission on the matter. "The distribution of UM
0215 officers could not be a decision of my own", he added. At the same
time, he informed that the commission led by General Zaharia was expected
to present a report on the situation, and the UM 0215 officers could act as
firemen, borderguards, etc. According to ROMPRES news agency, Mr Dejeu said
that 22% of the UM 0215 were officers of the former Securitate (ed.n.
Romanian Intelligence during the Ceausescu regime),
[06] Sorin Oprescu - single candidate of opposition parties in elections
for Bucharest City Hall
Eight parliament and non-parliament opposition parties in the Partnership
for Bucharest have designated on Tuesday medical doctor Sorin Oprescu, the
director of the City Hospital in Bucharest, as their single candidate for
the Bucharest City Hall. Sorin Oprescu, also Vicepresident of the Party of
Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR), has gained the support of PDSR, the
Romanians' National Unity Party (PUNR), Labour Socialist Party (PSM),
Socialist Party (PS), Romanian National Party (PNR), Car Drivers Party (PA),
Retired People's Party (PP) and the Social Protection Party (PPS). PDSR
leader Ion Iliescu said it was a political decision aimed at uniting all
opposition forces in their attempt to prevent any further consequences
following the CDR (Democratic Convention in Romania) - USD (Social Democrat
Union) - UDMR (Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania) regime.
RADOR
[07] Romanian president's visit to Canada
The Ottawan days of Romanian President Emil Constantinescu's official visit
to Canada have ended on Tuesday when the president attended a lunch offered
by Canadian Governor General Romeo Leblanc. The lunch was followed by the
planting ceremony of a maple tree in the park at the governor's residence.
Although the president is expected to have further meetings with Canadian
Government officials and representatives of local authorities, one can
conclude that the main political part of the presidential visit has
actually eneded. The president will focus on economic matters in the
following days when he is to meet Canadian businessmen and representatives
of the Romanian community. In an exclusive interview to the RRA, Governor
General Romeo Leblanc has reitertaed his country's support for Romania's
NATO integration while President Constantinescu told the press his visit
was only an avant-premiere of his visit to the US in July as the two events
were landmarks of the 1998 diplomatic year. When asked about the recent
statements of Industry and Trade Minister Radu Berceanu, president
Constantinescu siad he had phone calls with both the prime minister and the
speakers of the two houses in parliament and the differences were expected
to be solved. Tuesday evening, the president was to leave for Toronto, the
next stage of his Canadian tour. RADOR
[08] Prime Minister Radu Vasile has ended his visit to Turkey
Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile has ended his visit to Istanbul where
he attended the conference on "Back Sae and Caspian Sea Energy Future". He
met yesterday Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoli Holpcenko and
their talks focused on issues concerning the hydropower plant project on
river Tisa, the opening of new checkpoints on Ukrainian-Romanian borders
and the future meeting of the Ukrainian-Romanian joint commission. RADOR
[09] MAE congratulates winners of Hungarian elections
In a statement issued to the press on Tuesday, the Romanian Foreign
Ministry (MAE) offers congratulations to the winners of Hungarian general
elections and says it is convinced that bilateral relations between Romania
and Hungary will follow the same successful path, the RRA reports.(RADOR
[10] Confused statements of FIDESZ leader Viktor Orban
In an interview with Austrian "Der Standard" daily newspaper, the leader of
the Union of Hungarian Youth (FIDESZ) said that some stipulations in
agreements between Hungary and its neighbouring countries were inadequate
as they did not take into account the main concerns of the Hungarian
minorities. He added that Romania was drawing up a new law on Hungarian
language-education, and said: "We should try to renew and improve the
agreements". Commenting the MTI news, the RRA correspondent to Budapest
said: "Much to our surprise, we have heard about the statement of Viktor
Orban to "Der Standard". Here in Budapest, Mr Orban however told the
Hungarian Television a quite different thing: he said there was no reason
of concern about Hungary's relations with Romania and its other
neighbouring countries. He said such fears were unjustified, and the added:
"The Hungarian-Romanian relations go down in history and we should further
improve them. We mustn't forget that Romania is now ruled by an
anticommunist, democratic and civic government. There are many encouraging
signs concerning the stability of relations between Romania and Hungary".
This was the statement made by Viktor Orban and we recorded his voice.
Therefore, we do not understand the meaning of Viktor Orban's statement to
"Der Standard", unless we separate the matters concerning the national
minorities in Romania from Romania's general matters, and suppose they are
not under Romanian authority, which we do believe that it is not the case".
RADOR
[11] PUNR is concerned about statements of FIDESZ leaders
The Romanians' National Unity Party (PUNR) believes that the victory of
Hungarian nationalist hardliners in recent general elections could lead to
growing tensions between Hungary and its neighbouring countries in the very
next future. A communique issued to the press and signed by PUNR leader
Valeriu Tabara says that such unprecedented comments by FIDESZ leaders are
a serious threat for peace and stability in the region. According to the
communique, the FIDESZ leaders said that any decision made by the
Government in Budapest should take into account the position of the
Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) and other parties
representing the Hungarian minorities in the neighbouring countries. PUNR
expresses its further support for friendly relations with Hungary based on
the existing agreements, mutual respect and non-interfearence in domestic
matters, the communique concludes. RADOR
[12] Alliance for Romanians' Unity communique
The Alliance for Romanians' Unity party (AUR) believes that Romanians and
Romanian political parties should unite to defend the national unity and
the integrity of the Romanian unified state, says an AUR communique signed
by president Gheorghe Funar. The announcement was made because Mr Funar's
party fears that growing tensions could emerge between Hungary and its
neighbouring countries following the victory of right wing parties in
recent Hungarian general elections. RADOR
[13] Romania to host headquarters of international peace-keeping force in
South-East Europe
Romania offers to host the headquarters of the international peace-keeping
force in South-East Europe. The peace-keeping force is to be set up
following the decision made by eight Balkan countries attending a meeting
in Tirana last Friday. RADOR
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