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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-08-04
August 4, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] "The Dismissal of Education Minister Andrei Marga Is Out of Question",
PNTCD Leader Ion Diaconescu Says
[02] Senate's Defence Commission Proceedings;
[03] PD Calls for an Extraordinary Session in Parliament;
[04] PAR Opinions of Cabinet Reshuffle;
[05] Forest National Utility Director General Dismissed;
[06] PD Candidate Won the First Round of Local Elections in the Village of
Predesti, Dolj;
[07] BNS Leader Blames Transport Minister Traian Basescu for His Anti-Trade
Union Attitude;
[08] Romanian Refugees in Ireland;
[09] Romanian Illegal Immigrants in Italy;
[10] Romanian-Israeli Official Talks in Jerusalem.
[01] "The dismissal of Education Minister Andrei Marga is out of question",
PNTCD leader Ion Diaconescu says
"You cannot dismiss a minister only because he does not share your point of
view", the leader of the Christian Democrat National Peasant Party (PNTCD)
Ion Diaconescu said while speaking about Education Minister Andrei Marga
and about the leader of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in
Romania (UDMR), Marko Bela, who recently put Mr Marga's position in the
Cabinet under question. Mr Marko Bela was dissatisfied with the minister's
opposition to the setting up of a Hungarian language teaching state
university in Romania. The minister has however expressed his support for a
multicultural university as the only way to prevent both minority
integration or division on ethnic criteria. In a statement on August 3, Mr
Diaconescu said: "The whole matter is actually very difficult as the
coalition, the government have different points of view on the subject.
There are many differences and, in my opinion, the matter should be
carefully examined. The right of people to speak their own language is
actually promoted all over the world, but the such rights should operate in
a national framework. If this the general position why should Romania do it
in its own way?", Mr Diaconescu concluded. RADOR
[02] Senate's defence commission proceedings
The senatorial commission for defence, public order and national security
met on Monday to discuss the draft law on organising and coordinating the
SPP (Presidential Guard and Security Service). The commission then examined
recent developments follwing the statement of SIE Gen. Constantin Grigoras
who said that several high ranking officials and jouralists act as foreign
intelligence agents. The commission has decided to meet the commissioners
monitoring the activity of Romania's Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE) on
Tuesday at 10 AM. The hearing of SIE chief Catalin Harnagea was also
planned for the same day. RADOR
[03] PD calls for an extraordinary session in parliament
While attending the Media Summer School in Mamaia on Monday, the leader of
the Democratic Party (PD), Petre Roman, said his party was expected to
propose an extraordinary session in parliament opening in mid-August. The
Democrats believe that the session should focus on debates over the law on
local public financing, the law on concession and the law on public
property legal framework. The session was also recommended by the
government, the PNTCD and the National Liberal Party (PNL). RADOR
[04] PAR opinions of Cabinet reshuffle
According to the leadership of Romania's Alternative Party (PAR), the
Cabinet reshuffle is necessary only if the government efficiency and full
cooperation between its departments were to be improved. At a press
conference on Monday, PAR first vicepresident Adrian Iorgulescu said the
Cabinet reshuffle was useless if not followed by a change in the way the
government operated. The PAR leader said that August 25 - September 1 might
be the best time for such a move. He believes that working groups should be
set up and such groups should include representatives of all parties in the
governing coalition. They all should discuss the possible changes in the
governing programme and the right people for Cabinet jobs. The PAR leader
said some ministryes should merge and the number of state secretaries
should be cut. RADOR
[05] Forest National Utility director general dismissed
Waters, Forests and Environment Protection Minister Romica Tomescu has told
a press conference on Monday that Forest National Utility (RNP) director
general Gheorghe Cahnita was dismissed. He said the director general failed
to fulfill the resposibilities in his contract, and more, the RNP
directorate was incompatible with the position of SC INTERPROD Oravita
administrator. Ministry sources say the RNP Administration Council has
appointed Dorin Ciuca as RNP acting director general. RADOR
[06] PD candidate won the first round of local elections in the village of
Predesti, Dolj
A second round of voting has been taking place in the village of Predesti,
Dolj on Sunday. As the turnout was below 50%, another round of voting would
be organised. The PD candidate and winner of the voting on August 2 (698
votes) is to run for the job of mayor along with the candidate representing
the Democratic Convention in Romania (CDR) who got only 378 votes in the
second round. RADOR
[07] BNS leader blames Transport Minister Traian Basescu for his anti-trade
union attitude
The leader of the National Trade Union Block (BNS) has submitted a letter
of complaint to the Attorney General's Office with the Supreme Court of
Justice against Transport Minister Traian Basescu. As no judge ruling did
allow the SNCFR warning strike on July 24, minister Basescu said the strike
was illegal. Mr Bratianu accuses the transport minister of anti-trade union
attitude and violating consitutional laws. RADOR
[08] Romanian refugees in Ireland
Some 70 Romanian illegal refugees were discovered in the French port of
Cherbourg on Sunday. According to immigration control official sources,
they were preparing to board a ferry to the Irish Republic. The illegal
passengers - most of them children - were hiding in trucks coming from
Paris. The Irish officials have expressed their concern about this new wave
of Romanian refugees. A journalist said the Irish Government might submit
an appeal against the French authorities' decision as they seemingly
allowed the refugees to board for Ireland. There are hundreds of refugees
in Cherbourg waiting for a ferry to Ireland and, according to the Irish
journalist, authorities in Ireland did not decided yet whether to allow the
refugees into the country or send them back where they belonged as most of
the immigrants claimed they were political refugees. RADOR
[09] Romanian illegal immigrants in Italy
38 Romanians were detained on Sunday by the Italian police in Tarvisio,
near the Austrian border, while they were trying to enter the Italian
territory. The illegal immigrants in a van were delivered to the Austrian
border police but the two drivers of the van were however arrested and
detained in Italy. The Italian authorities have opened an inquiry into the
case. RADOR
[10] Romanian-Israeli official talks in Jerusalem
Official talks had been taking place on Monday between the Romanian
Government delegation led by Prime Minister Radu Vasile and the Israeli
Government delegation led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After the
talks, the two prime ministers have signed before journalists an agreement
on agricultural cooperation and another agreement stipulating the mutual
promotion and protection of investments in the two countries. The Israeli
prime minister said he was impressed by the real friendship the Romanian
prime minister and the Romanian people were proving for the people of
Israel. "There are close and warm relations between Romania and Israel, and
the visit of Romania's new prime minister - one of his very first abroad -
proves it. Our relations for more than 50 years were illustrated by
Romania's attempts to help Israel in reaching the peace with the Arab
states", Prime Minister Netanyahu said. "But our strongest links - the
bridge of life - are represented by the nearly half a million jews of
Romanian descent who are living now in Israel. I am speaking about a
special tradition, a special affection, a special culture. They love both
their country of origin and Israel", the prime minister added. The Romanian
prime minister has praised the importance of the agreements and expressed
the hope that an agreement of cooperation and free trade could be reached
in the very next future. "I am honoured for being here in this particular
year, when the state of Israel is celebrating its 50-th anniversary. But
there are also 50 years of uninterrupted relations between Romania and
Israel, 50 years that prove the special relations between the two people",
Mr Radu Vasile said. On Monday morning, the Romanian prime minister met
Yaakov Frankel, the governor of the Israeli National Bank. He then visited
the sites of Old Jerusalem and the Romanian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.
RADOR
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