| February 9, 2001 |
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Press Conference of Romania's Presidency
On Thursday, Romanian President Ion Iliescu promulgated the Law on the legal status of buildings illegally confiscated during the communist rule (March 6, 1945 - December 22, 1989) and, according to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, the document would be published in the Monitorul Oficial. Presidential spokeswoman Corina Cretu told a press conference that, according to the president, the law was a major step in the attempt to compensate innocent people who suffered in the past. He expressed the hope that the judiciary would implement the law, and justice would be made without delay. Mentioning the recent meetings of President Iliescu with leaders of political parties, the presidential spokewoman said the president qualified the talks as open and positive, and he believed that political solidarity and co-operation could help the country solve its economic and social problems. According to the president, the Năstase Cabinet needed further support in order to achieve its goals and accelerate Romania's EU and NATO integration process. At the press conference on Thursday, presidential spokeswoman Corina Cretu also announced that President Ion Iliescu called for a meeting of the Country's Supreme Council for Defence (CSAt). The meeting on Monday, February 12, is expected to review the Council's 2001 agenda. The Council will also consider the president's nomination of Cătălin Harnagea as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SIE). Preisdent Iliescu is expected to present the Council with a report on the meeting with Petru Lucinski, the President of the Republic of Moldova, scheduled for Friday, February 9. Foreign Minister Mircea Geoană, who is also expected to attend the meeting, will present the Council with a report on his recent contacts with European and US officials, the presidential spokeswoman concluded.
Senate Proceedings
At their meetings on Thursday, the permanent commissions in the Senate examined a number of drat laws. Foreign affairs commissioner Gheorghi Prisăcaru announced that OSCE President Adrian Severin was expected to attend a meeting of the senatorial commission next week. At the Senate on Thursday, the head of the Council for Investigation of the Former Securitate Archives (CSAFS), Gheorghe Onisoru, met Senate speaker Nicolae Văcăroiu. According to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, Mr Onisoru presented a number of changes to the CSAFS Law in order to improve the efficiency of the Council.
General Petre Botezatu, New Head of Romania's OSCE Military Mission
At a meeting on Thursday, the defence commission in the Senate approved general Petre Botezatu's nomination as head of Romania's OSCE military mission. The ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION reports that general Botezatu, who is also commander of the Operational Dept. with the Chief of Staff, is expected to make every effort in order to accelerate the country's NATO integration process.
Cabinet Meeting
At a meeting on Thursday, the Romanian Cabinet approved a raise of 400,000 lei in the country's minimal wage. Between March 1, 2001 - March 1, 2002, the minimal wage is expected to raise from 1,000,000 at 1,400,000 lei. According to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, the decision needs a financial effort of some 20 billion lei per month, but the raise is not expected to affect the state Budget. The Cabinet also decided to grant 1,000,000 lei per hectar to farmers working their land. The money are part of the budget of the Agriculture, Food and Forest Ministry.
Justice Ministry Nominations
Following his appointment as judge with Romania's Supreme Court of Justice, Florin Costiniu submitted his resignation as House of Deputies' Secretary General. Justice Minister RodicaStănoiu appointed prosecutor Emil Stănisor as director general of the Penitenciary General Directorate, and academic Marian Ureche as head of the Protection and Anticorruption Independent Service. ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION reports that colonel Valentin Binisor was appoited deputy director general of the Penitenciary General Directorate. Minister Stănoiu expressed the hope that the new appointments would ensure the restructuring of the institutions, and called for urgent measures to address the reform.
Appointment
On Thursday, Culture Minister Răzvan Theodorescu appointed Grigore Vieru as special adviser for relations with the Republic of Moldova, the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION reports.
Meeting of UDMR Mayors and Counsellors
A meeting of mayors and counsellors of the Democratic Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) has been under way in the Transylvanian city of Cluj on Thursday. According to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, the meeting was designed to prepare a conference on local public administration issues scheduled in April this year.
PNTCD Communiqué
The National Peasants Christian Democrat Party (PNTCD) says that the government's attempt to change a number of legal regulations in education is expected to block the process of reform in the country's educational system. In a communiqué issued to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, the PNTCD warns that the education record was already examined and accepted during Romania's EU accession negotiations in May 2000.
UCAR Communiqué
Following recent actions by deputy Oana Manolescu, the Cultural Union of Ethnic Albanians in Romania (UCAR) may disappear. UCAR believes that such moves were illegal, and Oana Manolescu founded the League of Ethic Albanians in Romania only to get a seat in parliament following the general elections last year. In an UCAR communiqué issued to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, Oana Manolescu is accused of moral fraud. At the same time, according to UCAR, there is no proof that the League of Ethnic Albanians in Romania nominated Ms Manolescu as candidate to represent the Albanian community in parliament. UCAR says that the moves of Oana Manolescu led to confusion among the Albanian voters. The complaints the UCAR submitted to Parliament, the Presidency, the Government and the Constitutional Court were never answered, the communiqué concludes.
Ion Iliescu -Petru Lucinski Meeting
"The signing of the political basic treaty between Romania and the Republic of Moldova will enforce the legal framework of friendly bilateral relations", says a communiqué issued by the Moldovan Presidency in Kishinev only a day before the meeting of Romanian President Ion Iliescu with his Moldovan counterpart Petru Lucinski. According to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, the meeting in Vaslui of the two leaders will also concentrate on issues concerning Romania's and Moldova's EU integration process, regional co-operation, bilateral economic relations in such teritories as the euro-regions of the Upper Prut and Lower Danube. Paticipants in the Vaslui summit will also include Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoană, Moldovan counterpart Nicolae Cernomaz along with the ambassadors of the two countries to Kishinev and Bucharest.
Romanian President Iliescu to Attend Romania - Turkey - Bulgaria Trilateral
Presidential spokeswoman Corina Cretu announced that President Ion Iiescu would attend the Romania - Turkey - Bulgaria Trilateral due in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv on February 15 - 16. ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION reports that the announcement was made at a press conference at the Cotroceni Palace on Thursday. President Iliescu expressed the hope that the institutionalised co-operation between the three countries to combat terrorism and organised crime would encourage a similar co-operation in such economic and social areas as the infrastructure and the fight against cross-border polution.
Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoană Met French Counterpart Hubert Vedrine
While in Paris on Thursday, Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoană, also acting OSCE President, met his French counterpart Hubert Vedrine. After the meeting, Mr Vedrine said the talks outlined the special relations between the two countries and their commitment to develop further contacts in various fields. The French foreign minister said his country would further support Romania's efforts to join the European and Euro-Atlantic structures. According to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, minister Geoană presented Romania's priorities as president of the OSCE pointing out the country's wish to be seen as an open and loyal partner. The Romanian foreign minister had similar meetings with French Defence Minister Alain Richard, and State Secretary for Foreign Trade Francois Huvare.
Mircea Geoană - Igor Ivanov Meeting
After meeting his Romanian counterpart Mircea Geoană in Moscow on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov confirmed that the OSCE mission could return to the Republic of Tchechnia in the very next future. He also announced that Moscow accepted the appointment of ambassador Alexandru Cornea as OSCE representative to Grozny. Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoană said his country was concerned about recent developments in the Dnestrian province of the Republic of Moldova. He added that Romania was waiting for the results of the elections in the Republic of Moldova as the newly elected government could be able to find a solution to the Dnestrian crisis. According to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, the Romanian minister expressed the hope that, after elections in Belarus, OSCE could open a similar mission in the capital Minsk.
Romania's New IMF Chief Negociator Arrived in Bucharest
The new IMF chief negociator for Romania, Neven Mates, arrived in Bucharest on Thursday. He is to replace the Greek Emanuel Zervoudakis as head of the IMF team. The Croat-born Neven Mates is a finacial expert working with the IMF since 1992. He is expected to join the IMF expert team who already started negociations with Romanian officials. As the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION recalls, the Romanian government would like to sign a new loan agreement with the IMF in order to support the budget deficit. The Romanian authorities previously announced they expected a budget deficit of 3 - 4% of the GDP.
660 Million Euros for Romania Each Year
While in Craiova on Thursday, the head of the European Commission Delegation in Romania Fokion Fotiadis announced that the EU was granting Romania an annual non-reimbursable aid of 660 million euros. According to the ROMANIAN RADIO BROADCASTING CORPORATION, 80% of the funds will go to provinces while 20% are to be co-ordinated by the central authorities in Bucharest. Mr Fotiadis told a press conference the EU was ready to co-operate with the Romanian government in order to attract foreign investors and ensure an economic stability. In Craiova, Fokion Fotiadis and PHARE programme coordinator Simon Mordue went on a visit to such commercial enterprises as Electroputere, Avioane, Microcomputer and Popeci.
CALENDAR
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