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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-06-25
June 25, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Romanian Senate and House of Deputies Met in a Joint Session;
[02] Former Romanian Health Minister Claims He Was a "Victim of Political
Intrigues";
[03] UDMR Leader's Position on Francisc Baranyi's Dismissal;
[04] Military Training Exercise in the Counties of Covasna and Harghita;
[05] Newly Elected ApR Brasov Leadership Denounced;
[06] 11-th Session of OCEMN Parliamentary Assembly;
[07] Romanian Prime Minister on a Visit to Poland;
[08] Poland Supports Romania's Efforts to Join NATO;
[09] Romanian Participation in the Meeting of Interior Ministers in
Schengen Countries and EU Applicant States;
[10] Romania Supports International Community's Position on Kosovo Crisis;
[11] Tribute to Former NATO Secretary General Manfred Woerner.
[01] Romanian Senate and House of Deputies met in a joint session
At a joint session in Parliament on Wednesday, the Romanian senators and
deputies have discussed the draft order concerning the setting up of a
special parliamentary commissioJ to control the activity of SIE (Romania's
Foreign Intelligence Service). Participants have adopted an amendment
allowing the commissioners to submit affidavits stating that they were not
members of SIE or other foreign or domestic intelligence services.
Following two rounds of voting, six new members were elected to complete
the High Council of Magistrature. The senators and the deputies have also
appointed on Wednesday Mrs Norica Nicolai as president of the Economic and
Social Council. RADOR
[02] Former Romanian health minister claims he was a "victim of political
intrigues"
"If I were not a minister representing the Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians in Romania (UDMR), my case would have not become so interesting",
former Health Minister Francisc Baranyi said. "Who is supposed to need such
an ordinary case? I was clear enough when I said that the interests of the
UDMR came first, and my own interest came second, third or last", he added.
Mr Baranyi says he does not feel guilJy as he is a "victim of political
intrigues". RADOR
[03] UDMR leader's position on Francisc Baranyi's dismissal
UDMR leader Marko Bela remarked that "while nobody was allowed access to
his own former Securitate file, some pieces were however published from
time to time. And this is no accident as the move is clearly aimed at
creating a political diversion. For instance, it is very interesting how
the files of politicians in the governing coalition reached the media", Mr
Marko Bela added. The UDMR leader has announced that, following the next
meeting of the UDMR Council of Representatives, "all UDMR members in
decision-making positions should submit an affidavit concerning their
relationship with the former Securitate before 1989."
[04] Military training exercise in the counties of Covasna and Harghita
The "Floare de Colt '98" military training exercise has opened in the
Transylvanian counties of Covasna and Harghita. The Psychological
Department of the Romanian Army, the Land TroopsJGeneral Staff and the
military broadcasting personnel would like the MApN forces, the Gendarmerie
and SRI (ed.n. Romanian Intelligence Services) to improve their
coordination abilities in psychological operations and their technics and
strategies in mountain and forest areas. The exercise is also aimed at
improving cooperation between the army and the local administration. In a
first stage, there have been contacts between army officers and
representatives of the Prefecture, County Council and the City Hall of
Miercurea Ciuc. As far as the media is concerned, the "Floare de Colt"
exercise has a cooperation plan aimed at examining the media ability to
tackle psychological aspects. In recent years, this sort of psychological
military exercises have been previously organised in other six Romanian
strategic areas. RADOR
[05] Newly elected Brasov ApR leadership denounced
Participants in the general assembly met last Saturday to elect the new
leadership of the Alliance for Romania (ApR) Jranch in the Transylvanian
town of Brasov. Most of the ApR Brasov leaders have expressed their
dissatisfaction with the voting on Saturday. Most of the Brasov ApR members
have resigned and, in a statment made on June 24, the leader of the ApR
branch in Brasov, Toma Dobrogeanu, said the new ApR leadership was ordered
by ApR' Centre in Bucharest. According to the same source, the results of
the elections were actually published by the press a day before the voting
(on June 19). Therefore, Mr Dobrogeanu said the Brasov branch of the ApR
was dismissed as most of its members (some 150 people) resigned. RADOR
[06] 11-th session of OCEMN Parliamentary Assembly
The 11-th session of the OCEMN Parliamentary Assembly (ed.n. OCEMN -
Organisation of Black Sea Economic Cooperation) opened on Wednesday in
Bucharest. As the RRA reports, the heads of the parliamentary delegations
in 11 countries met on Tuesday to decide the meeting's agenda. Romanian
President Emil Constantinescu has attended the opeJing session while the
opening speech was made by Senator Petre Roman, the president of the
Parliamentary Assembly. Mr Roman said the EU should draw up new strategies
related to the Black Sea cooperation area. The 11 OCEMN chief delegates
have signed a declaration concerning the fifth anniversary of OCEMN
Parliamentary Assembly. According to the same source, participants have
adopted three amendments proposed by Greece and two of the three amendments
proposed by Russia. They rejected the Russian amendment introducing the
concept of a "Euro-Asian continent" with which OCEMN was supposed to
establish economic relations. The Russian delegates have insisted the
amendment was necessary, but participants claimed that there was no such a
concept mentioned in OCEMN previous documents and its adoption would only
lead to confusion. RADOR
[07] Romanian prime minister on a visit to Poland
While in the Polish city of Cracow on Wednesday, the Romanian official
delegation led by Prime Minister RaJu Vasile has visited the most famous
sites of the ancient town such as the Waffel Castle and the Majus College,
the oldest European educational institution since 1364. The Romanian
delegation was to attend a meeting with representatives of Cracaw's Chamber
of Commerce and Industry. The Romanian officials were expected to leave
Poland the same day. RADOR
[08] Poland supports Romania's efforts to join NATO
While in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Polish Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek
told a press conference that relations between Poland and Romania were as
good as possible. The Polish official said that "the visit of Romanian
Prime Minister Radu Vasile to Poland made the Romanian-Polish relations
become even closer". He pointed out that Warsaw was interested in meeting
Romania in all the institutions Poland was expected to join. "Once in NATO,
Poland will fight to get Romania into it", the Polish minister added.
RADOR
[09] Romanian participation in the meeting of interior ministers in
SchJngen countries and EU Applicant States
While in the Belgian city of Ostende on Wednesday, Romanian Interior
Minister Gavril Dejeu has attended the meeting between interior ministers
in the Schengen countries and their counterparts in the EU Applicant
States. Mr Dejeu said the meeting focused on two main issues: new ways to
improve the cooperation between Danubian countries such as Bulgaria,
Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany in a concentrated action
aimed at keeping smuggling and other criminal activities under control and
secondly, a new strategy aimed at fighting and preventing illegal
immigration from Central and East-European countries mainly around the
German border. Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and
Romania are involved in the project. RADOR
[10] Romania supports international community's position on Kosovo crisis
The spokesman of the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) has told a press
conference on Wednesday that Romania was seriously cJncerned about the
escalation of the conflict in Kosovo. Therefore, Romania is supporting the
international community's position over the issue. The MAE spokesman said
that Romania welcomes the efforts by NATO to achieve a dialogue between
those involved in the conflict. Bucharest is ready to cooperate with all
countries in the region, with Albania and FYROM especially, and participate
in operations on their territory, the spokesman added. RADOR
[11] Tribute to former NATO Secretary General Manfred Woerner
Constantin Dudu Ionescu, secretary of state with the Romanian Ministry of
National Defence (MApN), is in Bonn this week following an invitation by
the German Atlantic Association. He is to attend a ceremony commemorating
the former NATO Secretary General Manfred Woerner. Mr Dudu Ionescu met
German Defence Minister Volker Ruehe and his German counterpart Gunnar
Simon on Wednesday. While in Bonn on Thursday, the Romanian official is to
deliver a speech on "Romania on Its Way to Euro-Jtlantic Structures".
RADOR
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