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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-12-03
December 3, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] "The Coalition Can Achieve the Governing Programme, But the Government
Should Be Reshuffled", Senator Viorel Catarama Believes;
[02] Finance and Transport Ministers Before the Senate's Economic
Commission;
[03] Invitation to Dialogue;
[04] Swear-In Ceremony for Romania's New Agriculture Minister;
[05] PUNR Press Conference;
[06] The Romanian Ambassador to Bulgaria Explains...
[07] Denials of CNN Report by Both Bucharest and Baghdad;
[08] Romanian Senate's Speaker Met the Marshall of the Polish Seim;
[09] Justice Minister Valeriu Stoica Met the Australian Ambassador to
Romania.
[01] "The coalition can achieve the governing programme, but the government
should be reshuffled", Senator Viorel Catarama believes
"The Economic commission in the Romanian Senate believes that the ruling
coalition can achieve the economic reform in Romania and take into account
the suggestions the Opposition has made. On the other hand, we believe as
well that it is not the current governmDnt who may be capable of taking the
economic reform measures", chief commissioner Viorel Catarama said in a
statement on Wednesday. Mr Catarama has mentioned that the opposition
senators in the commission were sharing the opinion, but his statement was
however denied by Doru Laurian Badulescu, a senator representing the Party
of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) and also deputy commissioner for
economic affairs, who said that a meeting of all party leaders on
parliament could lead to the best solutions designed to end the conomic
crisis. Chief commissioner Catarama has also announced that the economic
commissioners sent a letter to the Senate's speaker, Mr Petre Roman, to
express their protest against "the way some government members understood
to keep their contacts with the parliament".(RADOR)
[02] Finance and transport ministers before the Senate's Economic
Commission
At a hearing on Wednesday before the economic commissioners in the Romanian
Senate, Finance Minister Traian remDs and Transport Minister Traian Basescu
said the government was about to close down the loss-making enterprises by
December 31 at the latest. "The delay in the process until after holidays
would mean to miss the last chance of an economic recovery", Traian Basescu
warned. He added that the first enterprises to be closed would be those who
did not pay the salaries. In his turn, minister Remes said the 13-th salary
to Budget-financed state enterprises would be extremely damaging and the
measure should not be taken. The finance minister said the government was
supporting higher accise duties in fuel because it was the quickest and
most reasonable measure to get the 1999 Budget finalised. He insists there
is no reason to give up the adjustment of fuel prices.(RADOR)
[03] Invitation to dialogue
At a meeting of the Permanent Bureau on Wednesday, the speaker of the
Romanian Senate, Petre Roman, has invited the opposition MP groups to
attend a new round of negotiations aimed at ending theDcrisis in
parliament. As the RRA reports, participants are also expected to include
the leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), Mircea Ionescu Quintus, and
the leader of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR),
Marko Bela. The talks are expected to start on Thursday at 10 AM. The
Permanent Bureau has also decided a change in the Senate's working schedule
for the last two working days of this week. Consequently, the special
permanent commissions will meet while the plenum is planned on Friday
between 9 AM and 1 PM. The Permenent Bureau has also proposed the Senate to
extend its proceedings until December 29.(RADOR)
[04] Swear-in ceremony for Romania's new agriculture minister
Ioan Muresan was sworn in as new agriculture minister before the Romanian
President Emil Constantinescu on Wednesday following the dismissal of
former minister Dinu Gavrilescu. Mr Muresan said the law on restructuring
and privatising the state farms (IAS) should take into account some
Donditions such as the separation of the land to be returned to its legal
owners, the private sector owed by the state and the areas to be
privatised. He announced that the ASAL programme was going to be examined
and then negotiated with the World Bank experts on Thursday. Congratulating
the newly appointed minister, President Constantinescu warned that the
agriculture's recovery should be achieved as soon as possible to ensure the
exports and the low prices easing the Romanians' access to food products.
Following the appointment of Ioan Muresan, Defence Minister Victor Babiuc
is to become the acting minister of the Reform and the Reform Council's co-
ordinator.(RADOR)
[05] PUNR press conference
The leadership of the Romanians' National Unity Party (PUNR) has expressed
the regret that the rally in Alba Iulia did not succeed in gathering
representatives of all Romanian political parties. At a press conference on
December 2, PUNR deputy Ioan Gavra said the military parade in BucharestD
(ed.n. on December 1 - Romania's national Day) recalled memories of similar
events before 1989. Mr Gavra said his party did not share the idea of early
elections as they were not a solution to end Romania's crisis. The PUNR
leadership has decided to give up fees, salaries or travels abroad during
the parliamentary crisis.(RADOR)
[06] The Romanian ambassador to Bulgaria explains...
When asked to explain his resignation, the Romanian ambassador to Bulgaria,
Ion Talpes, said he resigned for personal reasons. "I had two rounds of
talks with President Constantinescu and I had explained my decision. It was
much earlier, on November 17, when I submitted the written request and I am
sure the answer will allow me to choose my future position", Mr Talpes
said. He confirmed that he would get further involved in actions designed
to solve the problems the Romanian society was facing.(RADOR)
[07] Denials of CNN report by both Bucharest and Baghdad
MApN communique
Referring to the CNN INTEDNATIONAL report of the alleged involvement of the
Romanian company Aerofina in trade with Iraq, a communique issued on
Wednesday by the Press Office of Romania's National Defence Ministry (MApN)
says that, between 1994 and 1996, several rounds of talks have been taking
place between the Romanian RA Romtehnica, Giara and Aerofina companies and
representatives of the Iraqi Military Industry Ministry concerning an
exchange of military equipments. Between July and August 1994, a Romtehnica-
Giara delegation went to Iraq to discuss a series of contracts on raw
material and accessory supllies. The Iraqi delegation was considering the
Romanian support of its research and design projects for the Iraqi-made
short range missiles. A first supply was also agreed and, on the occasion
of a visit to Iraq by an Aerofina delegate, a new contract allowed possible
missile equipment supplies through a Jordan intermediary. In December 1996,
the contracts were frozen and any other contact ceased. At theDsame time,
division gen. Florentin Popa, State Secretary and heat of the Army's
Procurement Department was removed from the job in January 1997 while col.
Costica Laptes, director general at Giara was dismissed in June the same
year. The director of Aerofina was also dismissed. In 1998, the commercial
contacts between the two sides resumed under the control of the Romanian
Intelligence in co-operation with similar institutions in partner states.
The talks have failed, the communique concludes.
Saddam Hussein's Scientific Council denies any Romanian-Iraqi tradings on
weapons and military technology
The Iraqi general Saadi, Saddam Hussein's scientific adviser, has strongly
denied any Romanian-Iraqi tradings on weapons and military high technology.
During the night on December 1-2, the US State Department has also reacted
following the CNN report of alleged close military relations between
Romania and Iraq. The Romanian Service of the BBC reports that, when asked
to confirm RomaDia's alleged involvement in military raltions with Iraq,
the US State Department spokesman James Rubin told a press conference the
CNN report was based on secret information and a public discussion was
hardly possible. However, if some information could be unveiled, they could
be announced at the right time, Mr Rubin said.(RADOR)
[08] Romanian Senate's speaker met the Marshall of the Polish Seim
While visiting Romania to attend celebrations on the occasion of the
country's national day, the Marshall of the Polish Seim, Maciej Blazinski,
met his Romanian counterpart Petre Roman on Wednesday. The head of the
Polish Parliament reiterated his country's support of Romania's efforts to
join NATO and the EU while adding that, irrespective of Romania's
international support, the country's integration depended on the commitment
of the authorities in Bucharest to take the inevitable tough measures it
should take. Petre Roman said Romania dn Poland shared similar problems and
Romania could nD more afford the financing of loss-making economic
activities.(RADOR)
[09] Justice Minister Valeriu Stoica met the Australian ambassador to
Romania
Justice Minister valeriu Stoica met Christopher Leslie Lamb, the Australian
ambassador to Romania, on Wednesday. A communique issued by the Press
office of the Justice ministry says the talks focused on legal aspects
concerning the future inauguration of an Australian general consulate in
Bucharest. Mr Lamb has reiterated the interest of many Australian companies
in the restructuring and recovery process of Romania's industry.(RADOR)
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