EC commissioner praises justice and home affairs Romanian ministers, slams Parliament (Mar 14, 2006)

(Initially published in www. romania-report.ro -- Mar 14, 2006)

The vice-president of the European Commission (EC) and European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, Franco Frattini, on visit to Bucharest yesterday, said EC Report in May will be favourable to Romania and that he was happy with the country’s Govt in the fields under his competence as of the accession process to the EU.

He praised Justice Minister Macovei but criticised MPs for trying to get immunity against corruption indictments.

In a joint press conference with Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu, at Victoria Palace, Frattini outlined that “for now we can no longer talk about the so-called little red flags” but instead we are able to speak about Govt in Bucharest carrying on its strong activity in order to fulfil the pledges made in the negotiation process with the European Commission.

The vice president of the European Commission emphasised the progress Bucharest has made in justice and internal affairs sectors, mainly due to Ministers Monica Macovei and Vasile Blaga.

Franco Frattini said the positive results in borders security will be documented in the monitoring report of the European Commission, on May 17.

“Customs agents and police significantly improved activity,” the EC vice president explained, underlining the “tight, continuous and fruitful cooperation between the decision-makers of the European Executive and the colleagues in Romanian Ministries.”

Parliament blamed for anti-corruption gridlock

Frattini said, in an interview with a local daily, that “it would be a disaster for Romania” if Justice Minister Macovei failed to receive political support in fighting corruption and reforming the judiciary system. Speaking of recent negative votes in the Romanian Parliament – to reject a government ordinance establishing the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) and a prosecutors’ request to search the properties of House speaker Adrian Nastase –, Frattini said in the interview: “It would be totally insane to play with the future of the country, with its accession” to the EU. “Progress has been noted in the field of justice at the level of the working capacity of local tribunals and courts of appeals, and thanks to Monica Macovei’s efforts, courts will soon get high-tech equipment able to cope with their complex and intense activity,” said Frattini.

The European official said that, for now, the “National Anti-corruption Department is operating well, yet the negative voting by Romanian MPs of the DNA Ordinance represents a mistake.” However, Frattini stated he would not “interfere with the local Parliaments’ affairs,” as the legislative power is a state’s sovereignty prerogative.

“This is exactly why I emphasised that a major part of the future of this country is in the hands of MPs. Parliamentary, but also political support is needed for passing of the bills needed for accession in due time to the European Union,” Frattini said. He referred to the MPs attempt made at changing the rules in appointing and removing DNA members, asking for “these rules not to be changed but enforced.”

Speaking of the crackdown on corruption, Frattini has said that the Government and the EC have the common goal of improving the activity of judges and prosecutors and to enhance the magistrates’ independence. He also said that DNA could open further investigations in high-profile corruption cases, but only where the circumstances call for it and in very transparent fashion.

The EC vice president also talked with Premier Tariceanu and Minister Macovei about certain measures to accompany the anti-corruption fight, such as possible changes in the law regarding political parties funding.

Partnership cooperation

On the other hand, Frattini was keen to explain that after the country Report this May, partnership cooperation” would continue among the European and Romanian institutions with a view to the preparation for the “finishing straight” of Romania’s accession to the EU.

The progress made by the Government in Bucharest will continue being evaluated until the end of 2006, “yet the progress noted by the European experts that have come to Romania several times lately to examine the preparatory stage in various fields, makes us say we won’t talk of red flags in the May Report,” the European official said.

“It is very important to reach a decision in May and to confirm the decision in June. I am very optimistic, however,” the vice-president of the Executive in Brussels said.

President Traian Basescu met with Franco Frattini

The EC vice president also met yesterday with President Traian Basescu, who thanked Franco Frattini for his helpful cooperation with the Romanian state institutions.

The head of state underlined that the country’s target for now is to keep the current pace of reforms and to secure good functioning of state institutions.

Both President Basescu and the European official emphasised the need for a political consensual environment regarding the European integration.

Basescu said that his initiative of hosting monthly consultations with local parliamentary parties is aimed to improve political communication on topics of national interest.

In his turn, Franco Frattini has said that the EU keeps lending its support to Romania, so that the internal reform process is irreversible.

Romanian Social-Democrats in disarray

Losing their nerves while high-profile SocDems are indicted for corruption, alarmed by drastically dropping in opinion polls, and seeing now that EC officials praise the Govt, the Social-Democrat Party (PSD) in opposition seeks a way out.

Mircea Geoana, the current PSD boss, yesterday evening said former PM Adrian Nastase – recently accused in a bribery case – should consider withdrawing from his party leadership position and from the office of House Speaker as well.

Nastase instead is willing to set up an extraordinary PSD congress and accuses Geoana of conspiring behind-doors with centre-right political enemies.

Romania Report and sources

Romanian MPs obstruct anti-graft actions (Mar 9, 2006)

(Intially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Mar 9, 2006)

On Tuesday, a search warrant issued by the national anti-corruption authority (DNA) for two real estate locations owned by the former PM Adrian Nastase was rejected by the Lower Chamber.

The MPs from Social-Democrat and ‘Greater Romania’ parties in opposition as well as those from the Conservative Party (member of the ruling coalition) voted against the search warrant – thus obstructing the anti-corruption authority’s attempt of getting additional proofs in a bribery probe against the former Social-Democrat PM Nastase.

The prominent journalist, Cristian Tudor Popescu (editor-in-chief of ‘Gandul’ daily), labeled this parliamentary vote as an ordinary self-protective reaction of the new emerging ‘nomenklatura’.

C. T. Popescu points out that the now most influent Romanian MPs (and businessmen) were ‘produced’ by the Ceausescu’s communist regime and that they are trying to replicate and preserve the nomenklatura-type of social and economic privileges.

Therefore, the harsh anti-corruption fight started by Romania’s President Traian Basescu and Justice Minister Monica Macovei is facing a die-hard resistance from top ranking politicians and businessmen, whose links with the communist regime are of common knowledge.

Here are some examples of top so-salled ‘new-nomenklatura’ personalities facing corruption charges at this moment:

- Former PM, Adrian Nastase – during Ceausescu’s regime he had a job at the ‘Legal Research Institute’ in Bucharest (1973-1990) and in 1977 he was vice-president of the ‘Association of International Law and International Relations’ (at that time, such positions could not be reached by ‘ordinary’ people); his wife (Daniela) is the daughter of a former agriculture minister under Ceausescu;

- Liberal boss and oil tycoon, Dinu Patriciu – under Ceausescu’s regime he ran an important architectural project in the Gulf area (local media alleged that such jobs required certain ties to the former ‘Securitate’ secret services);

- Conservative deputy-PM and wealthy businessman, George Copos – former activist in the ‘Communist Youth Organization’ (UTC) under Ceausescu.

On Thursday, after gaining MP’s support, Nastase gave a press statement pretending he is ready to co-operate with anti-corruption authority but, in exchange, he asked the prosecutors for a detailed descriptions of the items they wanted to search (sic!).

Also on Thursday, Dinu Patriciu (boss of the ‘Rompetrol’ oil group) held a press conference as his company was stopped from trading on the bourse floor and a lien has been placed on ‘Rompetrol Rafinare’ shares. Under these circumstances, Patriciu said that the local stock exchange would be severely harmed by this kind of actions adding that foreign investors would leave the market.

Patriciu accused President Basescu directly by saying that the head of state is a demagogue who unleashed an ‘anti-corruption hysteria’ and again said Basescu is behind investigation against him.

The Prosecution Office with the Supreme Court has placed a lien on the shares in ‘Rompetrol Rafinare’ owned by Rompetrol Group, Rompetrol Rafinare reads a press release issued to the Bucharest Stock Exchange. “The lien was placed without prosecutors having informed the company beforehand about this measure or about the reasons why the prosecutors asked for the lien to be placed,” reads the release.

Elsewhere, a local NGO filed a complaint to the anti-corruption authority asking for inquiries on the personal assets of several high-ranked politicians – namely Dan Voiculescu (the ‘Conservative Party’ boss, who acted as general manager of the ‘Crescent’ off-shore company during Ceausescu’s regime – company allegedly dealing with secret ‘Securitate’ funds), George Copos (Conservative Party senator and deputy-PM), Radu Berceanu (Democrat Party senator), Verestoy Attila, Miron Mitrea (Social-Democrat Party secretary and former minister), and even the acting PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu.

The NGO asks prosecutors to check these six dignitaries because of unclear matters allegedly detected in their statements of interests. An actual peak of the ongoing anti-corruption was reached today as the Supreme Magistrates Council (CSM) discussed a complaint against Romania’s President Traian Basescu filed by the ‘Romanian Magistrates Association’. The association’s protest reads that President Basescu allegedly infringed separation of state powers when publicly stating that judiciary system is corrupted.

Basescu attended the CSM meeting in order to maintain his statement by elaborating his position and to openly agree with the judges’ right in complaining against him. Moreover, Basescu advised the Council to forward the case to the Constitutional Court.

Romania Report

Romania’s President held talks with parliamentarian parties' leaders on Homeland Security bills (Mar 7, 2006)

IMAGE: Romania's President Traian BASESCU after meeting the parliamentary parties' representatives at 'Cotroceni Palace' (on Monday, Mar 6)

(Initially published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ -- Mar 7, 2006)

Following a hostile media campaign, President Traian Basescu Monday said he will ask the Supreme Council for Homeland Security (CSAT) to agree making public the transcripts of the CSAT meeting three weeks ago, to prove he did not specifically want homeland security draft bills to be classified, as some commentators and political leaders alleged.

The new homeland security bills pack seems to follow the U.S. model and, if adopted, it would eventually provide more powers to the intelligence community and to the country’s President.

Therefore, ‘liberal’ politicians and media put Basescu under fire in the past days for allegedly planning to pass the homeland security bills, without any prior public consultation, thus granting immunity to intelligence agents while on mission. “It is regrettable and a little bit of a dirty play,” said Basescu about the intentions attributed to him by the National Liberals.

Basescu said that – during the latest CSAT meeting – he asked the heads of the parliamentary committees in charge with defence and homeland security issues to look into the six drafts and provide their comments, before considering the bills once again in the Council.

“The draft laws needed anyway major improvements, since many of them had unconstitutional provisions,” said Basescu. He also pointed out that some of his today’s critics (i.e. Liberals, Social-Democrats, etc) had nothing against voting for a police officers’ statute, back in 2002, which included the same now alleged unconstitutional provisions to be granted to intelligence agents.

Basescu made his comments on the occasion of his meeting Monday (Mar 6) with the leaders of Romania’s political parties to discuss various issues, including constitutional changes and draft laws regulating the national security, the status of minorities, and the fight against money-laundering.

Political leaders last week expressed their views concerning the topics that are to be discussed. The National Liberal Party, senior member of the ruling four-party coalition, requested the draft laws regarding the national security to be publicly debated, in spite that the Liberal boss agreed upon the initial proposal to classify parliamentary debates.

Mircea Geoana, the president of the Social Democrat Party (in opposition), last week said the party did not agree with what it perceived to be Basescu’s attempt to subordinate the intelligence community to the presidential office.

Corneliu Vadim Tudor, president of 'Greater Romania' Party (in opposition), Friday said his party did not agree with the proposed constitutional changes that would introduce a mix of first past the post and proportional representation voting systems, and a single chamber of parliament.

The actual issue under discussion is the post-communist Romanian constitution, which basically shapes a semi-presidential republican regime – as fear for granting too much power to the president emerged from the ‘Ceausescu’s syndrome’. Pragmatically speaking, the ‘presidential republic’ constitutional pattern – as in U.S. and/or France – would be more appropriate for Romania.

Romania Report and sources

The Romanian Senate finally approved the anti-corruption bill (Mar 3, 2006)

Prosecutor Daniel MORAR -- Chief of the Romania's Anti-Graft Authority (DNA)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- mar 3, 2006)

By a landslide vote the upper chamber of the Romanian Parliament passed the Govt’s ordinance on the National Anti-Corruption Authority (DNA).

By 109 votes, one vote against and two abstentions, senators approved the DNA bill under the form adopted by the Chamber of Deputies two days ago.

Following debates held by the leaders of the parliamentary groups with Justice Minister, Monica Macovei, the senators of the opposition Social-Democrat Party (PSD) withdrew the only amendment to this act, which called for the appointment of the DNA chief prosecutor be made by the Romanian President at the proposal of the Superior Council of Magistrates (CSM).

Eventually, it was agreed upon that – for the moment – the DNA boss is to be appointed at the proposal of the Justice Minister, who actually is in charge with the fight against corruption.

The ordinance had been rejected by the Senate about a month ago, but President Traian Basescu sent it again to parliament after discussing the issue with all political parties in the Parliament.

In case the anti-corruption bill was rejected, the MPs could not have been indicted by DNA prosecutors.

National Anti-Corruption Authority (DNA) is now under the authority of the General Prosecutor and enjoys financial autonomy as being allowed to set up its own PMU for managing anti-corruption activities financed by EU.

Romania Report

Turkey, Russia Oppose to NATO Presence in Black Sea (Mar 3, 2006)

(Initially published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ -- Mar 3, 2006)


The Turkish daily ‘Zaman’ reported that Ankara and Moscow opposed the demand made by the United States to extend the mission area of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) “Active Effort” operation, to combat terrorism and crime in the Mediterranean region, to include the Black Sea.

Secretary of State Commissioner for Europe and Euro-Asia Kurt Volker cited, “We do not wish to use NATO against NATO allies such as Turkey; henceforth, we talked about whether or not and how we can do the job together with these countries.”

Turkey defended that the Black Sea “does not need” to be the focus of a NATO operation, while the country continues its sea operations in the region at a national level.

The information gathered during the operation is shared with NATO member countries.

The countries neighboring the Black Sea conduct similar activities as part of the Blackseafor.

Having joined the Blackseafor, both Romania and Bulgaria, as NATO members, support the US attempt.

The ‘Velvet revolution’ countries, Ukraine and Georgia, also favor the American view; however, Russia opposes the operation since it is unwilling to help the US gain greater strength.

Romania Report according to Zaman

Fight against corruption as top national priority: a must for Romania’s President Basescu (Feb 23, 2006)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Feb 23, 2006)

On Monday, Romania’s President Traian Basescu formally received the formal agreement from all political parties in the Parliament as regarding the National Anti-corruption Authority bill.

The President is to return the law draft to the Chambers for a new vote. In spite of this last moment ‘agreement’, since spring 2005, the MPs have actively sabotaged the anti-corruption authority and continue to do so. Yesterday, the judiciary commission in the Chamber denied the anti-corruption prosecutor’s demand for permission to search an apartment owned by the former PM Adrian Nastase as he is charged in a bribery case. Thus, again, the MPs sent a controversial message to the people – i.e. that they would like to stay above the law.

The history of the National Anti-corruption Prosecutor (PNA) is short but complex. PNA came to existence according to a Govt Urgency Ordinance in 2002 (i.e. OUG 43/2002), under a Cabinet led by Social-Democrat PM Adrian Nastase. In the meantime, a modified Romania’s Constitution came into force on Oct 22, 2003. Nastase’s Cabinet repeatedly made changes to the anti-corruption legal framework (i.e. OUG 102/2003 and OUG 103/2004), while PNA managed to solve only two cases involving high officials.

It is to be underlined that according to all these legal texts, the National Anti-corruption Prosecutor had the right to indict MPs and members of the Government.

Meanwhile, in the autumn of 2004, the Social-Democrats (PSD) eventually lost the general polls, as Traian Basescu was elected as Romania’s President and he managed to impose a Cabinet led by the Liberal-Democrat centre-right alliance.

The new justice minister, Monica Macovei had undertaken a significant step forward in fighting corruption by issuing, on March 3 2005, a new Govt Urgency Ordinance regarding the declaration of financial interests (OUG 14/2005) – this bill eventually becoming law as the Parliament passed it on May 16 2005. The ‘big problem’ with this new ‘declaration of interests’ was that it required from the MPs and Ministers a complex and a more detailed statement. That is why, in April 2005, some MPs in opposition (led by Corneliu Vadim Tudor, the boss of ‘Greater Romania Party’ - PRM) asked the Constitutional Court to rule upon the constitutionality of the OUG 103/2004 – the anti-corruption bill issued by the former Social-Democrat PM, Adrian Nastase was never disputed since then. What really happened -- The PRM petition to the Constitutional Court, from April 2005, argued that the National Anti-corruption Prosecutor has no constitutional right to indict PMs. But then why the petitioners did not act immediately after the bill was issued? The answer is obvious: the new bill regarding the declaration of financial interests, promoted by the new Justice Minister Monica Macovei, would had caused serious harm for some high ranking MPs, now in opposition – those who acquired big fortunes in the last 15 years.

Thus, the law regarding the declaration of financial interests was published on May 26 2005 and, on May 31 2005, the Constitutional Court published its Decision no. 235, ruling that the National Anti-corruption Prosecutor has no constitutional right to indict members of the parliament, while the only General Prosecutor had this right.

From these above, it stands clear that this Constitutional Court ruling was meant to prevent the anti-corruption authority to press charges against MPs such as Adrian Nastase & Co. However the ruling displayed no surprise, since one easily might see that most of Constitutional Court judges were either members of the Social Democrat party (PSD), ore were close to PSD.

Therefore, even if the new declaration of financial interests came into force, the Minister of Justice could not use it against allegedly corrupted MPs. And this is the context within Monica Macovei issued, on Oct 7 2005, the Govt Urgency Ordinance 134/2005 trying to restore the anti-corruption prosecutor powers when dealing with members of the parliament. The bill was easily passed by the Lower Chamber but, since the National Anti-corruption Department begun to build cases against several MPs, the Senate immediately provided a negative vote, on Feb 9 2006, by arguing that as the DNA chief was to be appointed by the Minister of Justice the institution would act under political pressure. At this stage, Romania’s president Basescu intervened and had talks with the parliamentary parties over this matter.

Last Monday, an agreed upon solution emerged and slightly modified anti-corruption bill is to be sent back in the Parliament.

One might simply conclude that the Romanian Parliament managed to postpone for almost one year any attempt to fight top corruption cases involving MPs, even if EU officials repeatedly asked Romanian authorities to tackle the issue as soon as possible in order not to put in danger the country’s bid for EU accession in 2007.

Having these in mind, it is highly possible that President Basescu might have been learned the lesson and he would try a maybe more radical way of reforming the country’s political environment – i.e. the setting up a ‘clean presidential party’ with a view to early general elections this year.

The bare facts show he has no other choices in the case he really intends to swipe the endemic corruption of the post-Communist oligarchy.

And it is highly probable that public also shares this view. The latest opinion poll shows a 63 percent of those trusting Resident Basescu. The ruling Liberal-Democrat alliance is in front with 42 percent, while Social-Democrats lost 3 points, going down to 25 percent. Moreover, some 64 percent of those interviewed think that President Basescu is right when he says that illegitimate interest groups are influencing the Cabinet.

Romania Report

Feb 20, 2006: Anniversary of 150 years since the Romanian Gypsies were freed from slavery

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Feb 20, 2006)

This day, in 1856, the Principality of Walachia (now the Southern part of Romania) officially emancipated the Gypsies (i.e. ‘Roma people’) from slavery.

The process of Gypsy slavery abolition started back in 1844 – when Mihail Sturdza (Prince of Moldavia) freed the Gipsy slaves belonging to the state and the monasteries. Walachian Prince Alexandru Ghica did the same in 1845.

Romanian Gypsies enjoyed full emancipation in Moldavia on Dec 22, 1855, and in Walachia on Feb 20 1856.

At the end of the 19th century, the progressive Romanian politician and writer Mihail Kogalniceanu said that “the emancipative reform soon showed positive results: (…) Even if less than 50 years have passed since the emancipation, the Gipsies gave (our nation) industrialists, artists, brave officers, efficient managers, physicians and even distinguished orators in the parliament.”

Romania Report

Romania’s President. PM, and General Prosecutor provide strong support for the Anti-corruption Authority bill (Feb 17, 2006)

Romania's President Traian Basescu and Daniel Morar (Chief Prosecutor of the Anti-Graft Authority)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Feb 17, 2006)

Today, Daniel Morar, chief of the National Anti-corruption Department (DNA), provided activity report in open session attended by President Traian Basescu, PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, Minister of Justice Monica Macovei, and General Prosecutor Ilie Botos.

All representatives of the state powers showed confidence that once the anti-corruption bill be sent back in the parliament, the MPs will not fail again in passing the law. Moreover, President Basescu said he came to this meeting just because the Senate rejected the bill, on Wednesday, and put the anti-corruption authority under political pressure.

Basescu expressly assured the prosecutors that the debate over the subject came to a positive solution as talks he held together with all parliamentary parties, at the Presidential Palace, resulted into shared vision – i.e. general support for the DNA and its further functioning.

President Basescu added that, next Monday, he will meet again all political party leaders in order to produce an agreed upon text of the bill.

The head of the state underlined that the would-be changes in the bill will address some organizational details while the DNA functionalities will remain unchanged.

President Basescu also intended to encourage the anti-corruption prosecutors in acting accordingly to their task, even if they are dealing with powerful high ranked politicians. The rule of law must prevail, Basescu concluded.

One should remember that, this Wednesday, the senators from in opposition (i.e. Social-Democrats) managed to reject an anti-corruption bill, while one of their very leaders (i.e. former PM Adrian Nastase) was just indicted for corruption by DNA.

On Thursday, the EU delegation in Bucharest and the U.S. Embassy both released press statements to support the Govt’s reforms in fighting top-level corruption. Moreover, the Socialist group in the European Parliament displayed doubts regarding the true reason behind the Romanian SocDems’ rejection vote.

While understanding that they might loose supporters because of EU’s swift and sharp criticism, Social-Democrats immediately tried to find excuses for their vote. Excuses turned to be inconsistent because the SocDems had to lower their voice and, today, their leaders eventually showed little opposition towards President Basescu asking them to publicly support the anti-corruption bill – which they did in prime time.

Romania Report

Romania’s President Basescu addresses sustainable development in the Black Sea region (Feb 17, 2006)

Romania's President Traian BASESCU during his opening speech at the international conference ‘The Black Sea area infrastructure development in the new Euro-Atlantic context’

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Feb 17, 2006)

Bucharest, Feb 17, 2006 – In his opening speech at the international conference ‘The Black Sea area infrastructure development in the new Euro-Atlantic context’ , organised by the Romanian Chamber of Commerce, President Traian Basescu said prosperity in the region would be reached only if overall significant changes are undertaken.

Mr. Basescu displayed satisfaction that one of Romania’s foreign policy priorities – i.e. co-operation in the Black Sea region – began to take shape. President Basescu said that, beyond some inherent diverging view points, the states in the region share a common interest as regarding the sustainable economic development.

Further on, Basescu said that Romania should act as a bridge between EU and NATO and the Black Sea countries. Having this in mind, Basescu announced an international summit (end of March, this year in Constantza) aimed to create the ‘Black Sea Euro-region’, under the auspices of Council of Europe’s ‘Congress of Local and Regional Powers’.

President Basescu said: “We all know that prosperity cannot come overnight. We strongly need to create the proper environment for the future prosperity of the people in this region. (…) but before speaking of prosperity we should take into account for these countries the capacity building in order to enable them develop modern infrastructures.”

President Basescu mentioned the need for integrating the energy network system in the region, together with the process of building a new road infrastructure and detecting new alternative solutions for supplying EU with energy – i.e. the ‘Nabucco project’ and the projected Constantza-Trieste pipeline.

Basescu added a third opportunity, namely the project for a liquefied gas terminal in Romania’s port of Constantza – to be built in co-operation with Qatar.

President Basescu formally invited the European countries interested in such a terminal to join Romania in finalizing this facility as soon as possible.

Further on, President Basescu addressed the ‘frozen conflicts’ issue in the Black Sea region – i.e. Transdniester, Ossetia, Chechnya, etc. He said that it’s easy, at a statement level, to invoke the ‘Kosovo solution’, but before reaching solid institutional and governance solutions in these conflict zones, some preliminary steps are to be undertaken – i.e. dismantling the paramilitary structures and foreign troops withdrawal.

President Basescu underlined that the EU solutions regarding frozen conflicts in the region would have to get the approval of both parties involved in such conflicts.

Basescu reminded the fact that Europe is both the major energy consumer and the main stability provider in the extended Black Sea region. “A just balance” should be reached as we take into account both the conflicts and the complementarities in the region, Basescu said and added: “We should be wise enough and not leave out anybody, we should start by having in mind that, at the end of the day, the main interest of the countries in the Black Sea region and in the ‘extended’ Black sea region is simply their own welfare. And this welfare can be reached but in peace and security.”

President Basescu also pointed out that Romania’s foreign policy somehow displayed a “shift towards the East” for better contributing to its Western allies’ stability and security.

While ending his speech, President Basescu underlined again that Romania could act as a bridge between EU/NATO member states and the countries in the region – a bridge needed by all parties geopolitically involved.

Romania Report

European socialists slam Romanian SocDems on corruption (Feb 17, 2006)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Feb 17, 2006)


Dutch MEP Jan Marinus Wiersma, Socialist coordinator of the monitoring on Romania and Bulgaria, is to visit Romania in order to check the country’s "Social-Democrat Party problems."

Wiersma said that the Romanian senators' recent vote against the anti-corruption bill to give extended powers to of the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) could affect the attitude of MEPs at the time of Romania's accession.

Last year, the Socialist group in the Parliament of Europe publicly protected Adrian Nastase and Nicolae Vacaroiu against the present Romanian ruling Coalition's attempt to sack them from offices as speakers of Chamber and Senate.

Wiersma opined Romanian Social-Democrat Party (PSD) senators' vote on the DNA bill could caused change of attitude among MEPs, since one of the main requirements was the very anti-corruption legal framework of the country.

Wiersma said that in case the Social-Democrats will continue to reject the bill this would result into a direct pressure during future debates on a possible 1 year delay of Romania’s accession to EU. He concluded that the anti-corruption issue asks for a complex approach within the country’s political environment, but he eventually expressed hope for progress. Still he opined that PSD did wrong by apposing the bill.

Opinion poll shows SocDem boss as most corrupt in Romania Adrian Nastase tops the “Most corrupt man in Romania” charts, indicate the results of an opinion poll carried out in February 1-6 by the Social Research Bureau (BCS). The former Social Democrat PM and incumbent Speaker of the Chamber is followed, at considerable difference, by Dinu Patriciu, the Liberal oil tycoon who now faces money laundering charges.

Romania Report & sources

Anti-corruption bill obstructed by Social-Democrat MPs in opposition (Feb 9, 2006)

Romania's Justice Minister, Monica MACOVEI

(Initially published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ -- Feb 9, 2006)

Today, the Romanian Senate voted against a bill aimed to give more power to the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) in issues dealing with indictment of MPs and ministers.

The Social Democrat Party (PSD), Romania's biggest opposition party, successfully obstructed the bill to strengthen the powers of an independent anti-corruption prosecutor (DNA) arguing that the legislation was unnecessary.

Romanian Justice Minister Monica Macovei said Thursday's decision was a 'reason to worry' as Romania struggles to convince the European Union that it is fighting hard to stamp out graft.

The EU delegation in Bucharest and the U.S. Embassy both released press statements to support the Govt’s reforms in fighting top-level corruption.

The US Embassy in Bucharest expressed concern with the Senate’s rejection of the Govt' ordinance allowing the national corruption court to probe MPs and urges Romania to make sure that high-level corruption is still efficiently fought against.

Romanian President, Traian Basescu, may send back the bill to the Parliament for another vote.

Romania Report

Romanian Prosecutors charge ex-PM Nastase (Feb 8, 2006)

IMAGE: Adrian Nastase, Romanian ex-PM (Social-Democrat top politician)

(Initial published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ -- Feb 8, 2006)

Romania's ex-prime minister and current Lower Chamber Speaker, Adrian Nastase, has been eventually charged with corruption.

Romania's anti-graft authority gave no details of the charges, but media say it’s about bribery related to some real estate deal.

Mr. Nastase, 55, prime minister from 2000 to 2004, denied any wrongdoing and said the charges were political.

The European Union has made it clear that progress on tackling corruption will be crucial to whether Romania can join the EU on schedule next year.

Several Romanian top politicians (both in the present Government and ex-ministers of the former Social-Democrat cabinet) have been already questioned by the anti-corruption authority.

Mr Nastase and five other people were charged by prosecutors on Tuesday.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Nastase said he "was the victim of the political police established by President Traian Basescu".

Mr Nastase briefly resigned last month from a senior post in the Social Democrat Party (PSD) after corruption allegations arose. He has kept his post as the Speaker of the Lower Chamber of the Parliament, though correspondents say recent changes to Romanian law on parliamentary immunity mean this will no longer protect him from prosecution.

The PSD President, Mircea Geoana, said today that the party is still backing Mr. Nastase until the judiciary proves his guilt. Nastase already lost a great deal of his once undisputed authority within PSD.

Romania Report & sources

Black Sea Conflicts Are Growing Threat, Romania Says (Feb 8, 2006)

Romania's ForMin, Mihai Razvan UNGUREANU (L) - (archive photo)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Feb 8, 2006)

Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu warned yesterday (while in Berlin) that frozen conflicts and instability in the Black Sea region are a growing threat to the European Union.

Ungureanu said such conflicts are "a source of insecurity and asymmetric risks." Frozen conflicts in the region include the dispute between Romania's eastern neighbor, Moldova, and its breakaway Transdniester region.

Other conflicts are the uneasy truce between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, and Georgia's unresolved disputes with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In remarks made in Berlin before talks with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Ungureanu said Romania would call a summit this summer aimed at addressing security issues in the Black Sea region.

Source: RFE/RL

Transdniester Talks End With No Breakthrough (Jan 28, 2006)

Image: Tiraspol (capital city of the breakaway Transdniester region in Rep. of Moldova)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 28, 2006)

28 January 2006 -- Talks between Moldova's Government and its breakaway Transdniester region on ending their 15-year-old dispute have ended with no progress.

The two days of talks, held in Chisinau, and in the Transdniester's capital, Tiraspol, were mediated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

OSCE mission chief William Hill said the two sides remain far apart on all issues.

The Russian speaking Transdniester proclaimed independence in 1990, fearing Moldova would re-unite with neighboring Romania.

The two sides fought a brief but bloody war in 1992, which ended in a truce enforced by Russian troops.

Some 1,500 Russian soldiers are still deployed in Transdniester, despite Moscow's pledge to withdraw both its troops and military equipment from the region.

Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin has accused Russia of inhibiting a settlement by refusing to withdraw troops.

Sources: RFE/RL report according to Reuters, ITAR-TASS

Holocaust Day commemorated: Wiesel's recollections deserve study (Jan 28, 2006)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 28, 2006)

The civilised world yesterday commemorated the Holocaust Day. Romanians also remembered the victims of the 1941 Jewish victims murdered by the Iron Guard.

Elie Wiesel recollections on the death camps he survived should be carefully studied again and again. A week ago, the Romanian Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs hosted, in Bucharest, a conference entitled “Violence and terror in the recent history of Romania” organised by the “Elie Wiesel” National Institute for the study of the Holocaust and the Federation of the Jewish Communities and dedicated to the commemoration of 65 years since the Bucharest pogrom perpetrated during the Iron Guard rebellion.

"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky." This haunting and powerful passage is from Elie Wiesel's renowned first book, "Night" — his autobiographical account of the experience of the Jews.

Since that first novel, Wiesel has published dozens of semi-autobiographical novels, plays and essays — dealing with the Holocaust, with Judaism and the moral responsibility of all people to fight hatred, racism and genocide.

Wiesel, born in Sighet, NW of Romania in 1928 (nota bene: the Northern region of Transylvania was under Hungarian occupation during the WWII) , was the only son of four children to Shlomo and Sarah Wiesel, Hasidic Jews. As a child, his world revolved around his family, religious study, community and God. His life as a writer, educator and Holocaust survivor seeks to confront the despair and meaninglessness of the experience of Auschwitz and to conquer that despair.

Wiesel's works draw on the particularities of the Jewish Holocaust experience and illuminate the plight of the persecuted everywhere. Night begins in 1941, when the narrator of the story, Elie, is 12 years old. Having grown up in the little town of Sighet (under Hungarian rule at that time), Elie is a studious and deeply religious boy who has a loving family consisting of his parents and three sisters. One day, someone in the town, who was deported but has now returned, warns the town of the impending dangers of the German army. No one listens and then years pass by. But by 1944, Germans are already in the town and have set up ghettos for the Jews. After a while, the deportation of the Jews to the concentration camp in Auschwitz begins. And so it was that Wiesel and his family was transported to the Auschwitz concentration camp.

As Soviet troops approached the camp in January 1945, the inmates were forced to march to another camp at Buchenwald, in Germany, where, weakened by the march, dysentery and starvation, Wiesel's father died. Wiesel's mother and younger sister died in the gas chambers and he did not discover that his elder sisters had survived until the war was over. Following the liberation of Buchenwald, Wiesel was free. He moved to France and lived there the next 12 years where he studied in Paris at the Sorbonne University, devoting himself to literature, philosophy and psychology while earning his living as choir director, summer camp counselor and teacher of Hebrew and the Bible. He also worked as a journalist. In 1954, at the urging of his friend, French writer Francois Mauriac, Wiesel broke his silence and began to write of his experience in the concentration camps and his own survival.

Two years later, his first book, "Un di Velt Hot Geshvign," ("And the World Remained Silent"), appeared in Yiddish. In 1958, it was published in French as the novel "La Nuit" and in 1960 it appeared in the United States as "Night." In 1985, members of the West German Bundestag recommended Wiesel for the Nobel Peace Prize, which he was awarded the following year. The same year he was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement, one of the highest honors conferred by the United States. Wiesel's words, "... to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all ..." clearly stand as a summary of his views on life and serve as the driving force of his work.

Romania Report & sources

U.S. Trade Development Agency to provide funds for upgrading the Romanian power sector (Jan 27, 2006)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 27, 2006)


Washington -- The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded two grants to Romania, worth nearly $574,000, to help modernize the country’s power industry and meet European standards, the USTDA announced on Wednesday.

The agency awarded a $271,054 grant to the SC Termoelectrica SA, the largest power-generation enterprise in Romania, to strengthen its environmental monitoring and control capabilities, USTDA said in news release.

The grant “will help Termoelectrica to prepare for Romania’s accession to the European Union (EU) by funding a feasibility study to determine the best method for upgrading emissions monitoring and control systems at 21 of the company’s largest power plants,” the news release said. As a condition of its proposed admission to the EU, Romania has agreed to limit the pollutant levels from its major industrial facilities. This, in turn, opens commercial opportunities for U.S. firms with expertise in emissions monitoring and control, the agency said.

The agency also awarded $302,940 to the city of Iasi in northeastern Romania to help increase the efficiency and reliability of municipal heat-and-power facilities while lowering overall costs and emissions.

The grant will fund a study analyzing the proposed conversion of a portion of the city’s Combined Heat and Power Plant 1 (CET 1) to a gas-turbine facility. CET 1 is one of two plants that provide heat and hot water to Iasi. The city recently completed the conversion of another plant from lignite to low-sulfur bituminous coal firing. The city also has secured European financing for modernizing its heat-distribution system.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops in developing and transition economies to promote development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment.

Romania over the past year was one of the world’s most improved economies on the 2006 Index of Economic Freedom released in January by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal.

Source: the U.S. Department of State

President Traian Basescu in Strasbourg: 'Council of Europe an essential partner in Romania's democratic transition' (Jan 26, 2006)

Romania's President during his speech at the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), on Wednesday (Jan 25, 2006) in Strasbourg

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 26, 2006)

During his speech at the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), on Wednesday (Jan 25, 2006) in Strasbourg, Romania's President, Traian Basescu, said that his country's transition to democracy, aided by the Council of Europe, had helped to pave the way for membership of the European Union.

He also spoke of his strong support for the activities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, particularly the creation of a Black Sea Euroregion, whose launch conference would take place in Romania in March.

Alleged secret detentions in the Council of Europe member states, the need for international condemnation of the crimes of totalitarian communist regimes, and human rights violations in the Chechen Republic were among subjects scheduled for debate during the PACE’s Winter Session.

Invited personalities included Romanian President Traian Basescu, Bulgarian Prime Minister Serguei Stanishev and the President of the Mexican Senate Jackson Ramírez.

Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu presented the Communication from the Committee of Ministers to the Parliamentary Assembly, and Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis will give his annual communication on the state of the Council of Europe.

Romania’s President, Traian Basescu, focused his speech, yesterday in Strasbourg, on issues such as Romania’s accession to EU and the compliance with the commitments assumed in the negotiations for accession, the fulfilment of the objectives proposed in the capacity of the country holding the presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe, with an emphasis on assuring an area of security in the Black Sea area and the democratisation of the region, as well as the situation of the ethnic minorities.

President Basescu appealed to the European parliamentarians to support ratification of Romania’s Accession Treaty to the European Union. The head of the state participated in the meeting of the Council of Europe as invited by the President of this European body, Rene van der Linde.

Actually, in the press conference which followed after the plenum meeting, Basescu mentioned that Romania expects, in May, that the European Commission produces a “normal” report that would allow the fulfilment of the objective of the accession to the EU on January 1, 2007. As having these in mind, President Basescu asked the PACE parliamentarians to stimulate support from the “states which are partners and friends for the ratification of the Accession Treaty of Romania.” (…) “The Council of Europe has been a constant partner of Romania during its historical transition to democracy path, so we also count on your solidarity to conclude this achievement,” Basescu said. He added he hoped that in a new meeting with PACE members he would be able to address the Assembly “as a Head of a European Union Member State.” (…) “Romania’s success will be the success of the Council of Europe, of re-united Europe,” he said.

The arguments mentioned by President Traian Basescu in support of the ratification of Romania’ s EU Accession Treaty on January 1, 2007 included the ongoing reform process in Romania, the fight against corruption and protection of minorities’ rights - topics also emphasised in the question addressed to the President during a Q&A session later on.

A topic highly valued by the President – i.e. the security of the Black Sea region - was also approached in the speech, as Basescu mentioned, in his capacity as Head of the state holding the presidency of the Ministerial Committee of the pan-European organisation, that Romania supports the project regarding the establishment of a Euro-region of the Black Sea, with a conference scheduled to take place in this respect in Bucharest in March.

The President of Romania also tackled the issue of stability in the Balkans and in the Republic of Moldova, and urged that the Romanian minorities in neighbouring states to enjoy the same rights that Romania secures for its own ethnic minorities. The abovementioned topics were also approached by the journalists attending the press conference.

As referring to Rep. of Moldova, Basescu emphasised that this country’s European integration “is a priority for Romania,” as our country undertook to support the Republic of Moldova’s endeavour to act in line with democratic standards and to bring its own contribution to the consolidation of regional security. Within this context, the president Basescu reiterated his request addressed to the European Union to provide an accession “road map” to the Rep. of Moldova, similar to those provided for the Western Balkan states.

President Basescu met in Strasbourg on Wednesday with President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Rene van der Linden, as well as with Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Romania Report & sources

Romanians celebrate the union of Wallachia and Moldavia Principalities (Jan 24, 2006)

Prince Alexandru Ioan CUZA -- the first elected ruler of the Romanian United Principalities (Wallachia and Moldavia)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 24, 2006)

On Jan. 24, 1859, Romanian Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia accomplished the ‘de facto’ unification, as Alexandu Ioan Cuza (Prince of Moldavia) was also elected as ruler by the Wallachian Parliament.

Cuza was a prominent speaker in the debates and strongly advocated the union of the two Danubian principalities, Moldavia and Walachia.

In default of a foreign prince, he was himself elected prince of Moldavia (Moldova) on January 5, 1859 and of Walachia (Ţara Românească) on January 24, 1859. Thus Colonel A. I. Cuza achieved a de facto union of the two Romanian principalities. The Powers backtracked, Napoleon III of France remaining supportive, while the reactionary Austro-Hungarian ministry withheld approval of such a union at the Congress of Paris (October 18, 1858); partly as a consequence Cuza's authority was not recognized by his nominal suzerain, the sultan of Turkey, until the December 23, 1861.

The Union was formally declared three years later, on January 24, 1862, the new country bearing the name of Romania, with Bucharest as its capital city.

Cuza was not a diplomatic politician, and lacked the traditional royal background, but he knew how to choose progressive ministers and had an intelligent ear for advice. Immediately he gained the sultan's assent to a single unified parliament and cabinet for his lifetime, in recognition of the complexity of the task. Thus he was the political embodiment of a unified Romania, for his lifetime.

Assisted by his councilor Mihail Kogălniceanu, an intellectual leader of the 1848 revolution, Cuza initiated a series of reforms that contributed to the modernization of Romanian society and of state structures, including:

- The law of monastery estates, secularizing monastic assets (1863). Probably more than a quarter of Romania's farmland was controlled by untaxed Greek Orthodox "Dedicated Monasteries," which supported Greek monks in shrines like Mount Athos and Jerusalem but were a substantial drain on state revenues. Cuza got his parliament's backing to expropriate these lands, with the backing of the parliament. He offered compensation to the Greek Orthodox Church, but the Patriarch refused to negotiate. This was a mistake: after several years, the Romanian government withdrew its offer and no compensation was ever paid. State revenues thereby increased without adding any domestic tax burden.

- The Agrarian Reform, liberating peasants from the last feudal duties, freeing their movements and redistributing some land (1864). This was less successful. In attempting to create a solid support base among the peasants, Cuza soon found himself in conflict with conservative boyars. A Liberal bill granting peasants title to the land they worked was defeated. Then Conservatives responded with a bill that ended all peasant dues and responsibilities, but gave landlords title to all the land. Cuza vetoed it, then held a plebiscite to alter the constitution, in the manner of Napoleon III. His plan to establish universal male suffrage, together with the power of the prince to rule by decree, passed by a vote of 682,621 to 1,307. With his new plenary powers, Cuza then promulgated the Agrarian Law of 1863. Peasants received title to the land they worked, while landlords retained ownership of one third. Where there was not enough land available to create workable farms under this formula, state lands (from the confiscated monasteries) would be used to give the boyars compensation. Peasants were not satisfied with the distribution, and landlords managed to keep the best land; they used the compensation fund as investment capital and the boyar class emerged with new wealth from capitalist agriculture.

- The Criminal Code and the Civil Code (1864);

- The Education law, establishing tuition-free but compulsory public education (1864);

- The founding of the Universities in Iaşi (1860) and Bucharest (1864);

- Development of a modern, Europeanized army for Romania, under a working relationship with France.

The radical reforms which he imposed to bring Romania fully into the 19th century impinged upon all classes and alienated his more influential subjects. Cuza was forced to abdicate by the so-called "Monstrous Coalition" of Conservatives and radical Liberals, at four o'clock on the morning of February 22, 1866.

Romania Report & sources

President Basescu: Romania seeks to strengthen cooperation with the Russian Federation (Jan 23, 2006)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 23, 2006)


Romania wants that future relations with Moscow be based on bilateral trust and economic cooperation, Romanian President Traian Basescu told at the annual meeting with the foreign diplomats accredited to Bucharest, last Friday.


“Romania will also pay a special attention to Moldova’s European road-map in 2006,” Romanian President, Traian Basescu said while presenting Romania’s foreign policy priorities for 2006.

“We want the European Union to use in the relations with Moldova the same road map as for the Balkan Countries,” Basescu said expressing his conviction that the unification of the Romanian nation can take place within the EU.

The head of the Romanian state raised the subject of the Black Sea saying that as long as the EU’s energy security depends on this region, the existence of “frozen conflicts” gives it a destabilizing potential and transforms it into a bridge for trafficking in persons, drugs and weapons.

Basescu underlined that the attempts to exclude the regional authorities, Russia and Turkey, from the cooperation projects of the region are erroneous. Romania wants the future relations with Moscow be based on reciprocal trust and economic cooperation.

At the same time, Romania’s foreign policy in 2006 will focus on the relations with NATO and the European Union. “Romania shall not diminish its military presence in Iraq. Peace-keeping actions will continue and we shall join the allies in undertaking the reconstruction stage,” Basescu said.

Last Friday, during an interview with ‘Realitatea’ TV channel, President Basescu said he would start investigation in order to find out why Romania buys Russian gas at the highest price as compared with other European states.

Basescu also said that the alleged ‘CIA prisons case’ (covered by Western media) did not damage U.S.-Romanian intelligence cooperation. “Even if U.S. intelligence centres are actually located on the Romanian territory, allegations about torture are, nevertheless, gross media speculations,” Romania’s President said. The presence of anti-terrorist fight centres in Romania has nothing to do with any ‘CIA detention facilities’, Basescu added.

As addressing the recent alleged corruption cases tackled by the Romanian prosecutors, President Basescu said that the local media should avoid spectacular scoops and try to show temperance when covering the ongoing events.

Basescu also dismissed any allegations according to which Romanian secret services would have been politically involved into the fight against corruption to date.

Romania Report

Romania’s President Basescu conserves popular confidence, opinion poll shows (Jan 19, 2006)

IMAGE: Romania's President, Traian Basescu

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 19, 2006)

President Traian Basescu and the ruling Liberal-Democrat Alliance are still preferred by Romanian voters according to a survey from the 'Social Research Bureau'.

According to the poll -- January 5-10 with 1,049 people interviewed --, Romanians show significant confidence in their president, as 65 percent of respondents said they trust Traian Basescu.

Basescu is followed with 46 percent by Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu (who regained the top position he lost for six months or so), and by Social-Democrat opposition leader Mircea Geoana, with 39 percent. Nationalist 'Greater Romania' Party leader Corneliu Vadim Tudor was ranked fourth, with 34 percent.

The now ruling Liberal-Democrat Alliance would get support from over 48 percent of interviewed voters, while only 22.5 percent would vote for the opposition Social-Democrat Party – thus, the largest Romanian political force, until recently, displays a sharp decline.

Over 13 percent would vote for the 'Greater Romania' Party, while the Hungarian Democratic Alliance scores 4.18 percent, and the Conservative Party gets 4.28%.

Romania Report

Corruption allegations embarrass Romanian Social-Democrats (Jan 17, 2006)

Mr. Adrian Nastase -- former Romania's PM (2001-2004), and the Lower Chamber Speaker to date.

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 17, 2006)

Two top leaders of the Romanian Social-Democrat Party - PSD (i.e. former PM Adrian Nastase and former Industry Minister Dan Ioan Popescu) resigned their party offices by saying they do not want Social-Democrat image tainted during investigations regarding the means by which they get some of their family wealth.

Former PM Adrian Nastase said people close to President Basescu were behind the recent campaign against him. The yesterday Social-Democrat leaders' meeting was stained by corruption allegations against two of the senior party members, Executive President Adrian Nastase and Bucharest Branch leader Dan Ioan Popescu. The two, both member of the former Romanian government, are under scrutiny over their assets declarations, as Popescu could not justify part of the money he earned before 2004 and he will be sent to trial, while Nastase has been accused by the media of illegally obtaining about 1 million euros by using an old aunt as cover.

While waiting for the High Court decision in Popescu's case, Social-Democrats heard an astonishing declaration by Nastase at the party meeting. He told fellow party members that he is to step down from the party's leadership during the period the investigations are being carried out in the scandal caused by the one million euros inheritance.

Nastase has recently revealed in an asset statement that he inherited more than $350,000 and three apartments from a deceased aunt. He argues that his aunt made her fortune by selling family jewelry in recent years, and then investing well in the real estate market.

Nastase was already being investigated by prosecutors for a real estate deal in which he bought land from a former lawmaker who was later convicted for fraud.

Livia Saplacan, a spokeswoman for the National Anti-Corruption department, said prosecutors have now extended their probe into the inheritance received by Nastase.

"I have no reservations in saying that this complex action was carried out with the help of people close to the intelligence services. (...) This action is part of a political campaign put together at the highest level, by people close to Traian Basescu," Nastase said.

However, Nastase added that he cannot totally rule out the possibility that some of his colleagues may have worsened his situation, but said their intervention had not been decisive.

The opposition leader explained his decision to give up his position by saying he does not want the inheritance scandal to harm the party's image. Nevertheless, Nastase wanted to make clear that he will not give up his political career.

Asked if his party will continue to support him as Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber, Nastase said he will retain this position, as he has his party's full support. Nastase has recently been under pressure to resign as opposition party leader amid corruption charges.

Senior members of the opposition Social Democratic Party called on Nastase to step down as party leader in statements published Monday following allegations that he had become wealthy through improper means. "I will call on Nastase to step down. The scandal has become very embarrassing and is harming the party," said Miron Mitrea, deputy chairman of the party, in an interview with daily Cotidianul Monday.

Ioan Rus, another deputy party chairman also called on Nastase to resign. However, other party members said the party should be loyal to Nastase.

PSD president Mircea Geoana saluted Nastase's gesture, saying he hopes the allegations against him will prove to be false. "Nastase's decision shows public opinion that we are not deaf or blind," he said, adding that in this way the party aims to regain the public's confidence by convincing citizens that it is serious about fighting corruption.

However, Geoana said that Nastase had made an unfortunate mistake by specifying in his assets declaration that his family had gained the inheritance (sic!).

The statement by the former PSD head Ion Iliescu was more reserved than expected, taking into consideration the close political alliance which had existed between him and Nastase. "Nastase's gesture was correct, (...) it was a gesture of honor," Iliescu said.

The Prime Minister Tariceanu urged Nastase to also give up his position in the Deputies' Chamber. "The Liberal Party publicly asks Nastase to take responsibility for his actions and withdraw from the lead of the Deputies' Chamber so he does not affect the parliament's image," Tariceanu said.

Nastase, who was Romania’s prime minister from 2001 to 2004, has denied any wrongdoing and suggested that allegations that he profited by buying under priced real estate in exchange for political favors were politically motivated. In one of several real estate deals, Nastase's wife allegedly bought a plot of land in 1996 for 2,200 euros, a tenth of its real price at the time, newspaper Evenimentul Zilei reported. That land is now worth 2 million euros, the paper said.

Nastase lost the presidential race to President Traian Basescu in 2004, but still acts as Speaker of the Lower Chamber.

Romania Report & sources (AP, Mediafax, Bucharest Daily News)

PUTIN-YUSHCHENKO JOINT DECLARATION ON MOLDOVA CRITICIZED BY ROMANIA (Jan 17, 2006)

MAP: Rep. of Moldova (Trans-Dniester region included)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 17, 2006)

On Monday, January 16, 2006, Eurasia Daily Monitor – published by The JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION, issued a report showing Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Razvan Ungureanu view regarding the Russian- Ukrainian joint declaration on Rep. of Moldova’s conflict with the Transdniester breakaway region.


The report, by Vladimir Socor, reads as it follows:


With a delay caused by the extended winter holidays, Romania has reacted critically to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko's joint declaration on how to resolve the Transdniester conflict.

Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, has commented in an interview that the joint declaration "rehashes the old ideas, even if newly packaged, thereby prolonging the existing situation, fostering a climate of uncertainty and mistrust that does not favour the advancement of negotiations." Noting that the bilateral Russian-Ukrainian declaration circumvented the official negotiation format, in which the United States and the European Union participate, Ungureanu cautioned against the "risk of parallel negotiating lines, alternative channels being formed, which could cancel the fragile advances that have been attained through consensus [a reference to U.S. and EU participation in the negotiations as observers]. Such tactics can only serve the purposes of those interested in perpetuating this frozen conflict," he observed (Ziua [Bucharest], Rompres, January 12).

The Putin-Yushchenko declaration (press releases in Moscow and Kyiv, December 15) attracted little public notice beyond the diplomatic and expert community during the holiday season. U.S. and EU diplomats at the OSCE objected to the declaration mainly on procedural grounds, for bypassing the official negotiating format. However, the declaration's substance also contradicts the U.S. and EU approaches to conflict resolution in Transdniester. While Putin's procedure could not have come as a surprise, Yushchenko's signature surprised Western diplomats unpleasantly. They kept their criticism sotto voce, however, in line with the general suspension of Western criticism of Kiev during the pre-election period and gas crisis.

The declaration defines Russia and Ukraine as "guarantor countries" in Moldova and Transdniester. This status, however, is not recognized by any country and is explicitly rejected by Moldova. Yevgeny Primakov invented it in 1997 for Russia and Ukraine in order to exclude the West and Romania from a meaningful role. Ex-president Leonid Kuchma had passively followed Russia's line in that framework; but, after the change of power in Ukraine, some officials on the presidential staff decided to build on the "mediator"/"guarantor" status in hopes of sharing influence with Russia in Moldova.

Putin and Yushchenko declare their joint "responsibility for … peace, stability, and the well-being of the Moldovan people, of Russians and Ukrainians living on both banks of the Dniester [Nistru] river." This assertion's significance is three-fold: First, it implies (along with other points in the declaration) a Russian-Ukrainian condominium; second, it refers to Russian-Ukrainian oversight in all of Moldova on both banks, not just the left bank (Transnistria); and, third, it shows Kiev borrowing Moscow's logic and claiming a title to intrusive protection of co-ethnics in another country. This paragraph seemingly disregards Moscow's and Kiev's own position -- shared by all those involved in one way or another with the negotiations -- that this conflict is not an inter-ethnic one. Thus, the claim of responsibility for fellow-ethnics merely seeks a license for political oversight of Moldova.

Further in the document, Russia and Ukraine declare their "full resolve to continue coordinating their practical steps" in the negotiating format. This implies the formation of a Russian-Ukrainian caucus within the 5 + 2 format, and potentially some Russian-Ukrainian initiatives outside that format to promote "negotiations between Moldova and Transdniester region" (treated as co-equal).

The two presidents endorse each other's latest conflict-resolution plans -- "Ukraine's initiative" and "Russia's updated draft proposal [narabotki]" -- declaring them to be complementary. Ukraine's initiative focuses on quick recognition of a re-elected Transdniester’s Supreme Soviet as legitimate representative body. This was the essence of the Yushchenko plan's three versions in spring 2005 and of presidential envoy Dmytro Tkach's proposals in the 5 + 2 negotiations later that year. Thus, "Welcoming the steps toward Transdniester's further democratization," Putin and Yushchenko support the sending of an OSCE assessment mission there. Russia's updated draft proposal, presented by presidential envoy Valery Nesterushkin in Washington, Brussels, and in the 5 + 2 negotiations in the latter part of 2005, envisages turning Moldova de facto into a two-state formation. Moldova refused to take delivery of this plan, while Washington and Brussels seek to bury it silently. Only Tiraspol and, now, Kiev have endorsed it.
At the same time, Putin and Yushchenko declare their "adherence to the understandings that were achieved earlier during the negotiating process." This standard Russian formulation at every stage of that process seeks to legitimize the 1992 deployment of Russian "peacekeepers," the 1997 Primakov-made format, the 2002 and subsequent documents on "federalization," the 2003 Kozak Memorandum and other such documents to contaminate the negotiating process. None of those were Ukrainian initiatives; thus, Kiev's pledge to adhere to them is a gratuitous concession to Moscow, and it also aligns Kyiv with Tiraspol against Chisinau.

The two presidents promise to assist in the "formation of a democratic and neutral state of Moldova." How the Orange president's perspective on democracy can harmonize with the Kremlin's remains a puzzle. A "neutral" Moldova is, however, Russia's declared objective, designed to bar Moldova from developing ties with NATO. Through this declaration, NATO-membership aspirant Ukraine seems to endorse Russia's anti-NATO agenda in Moldova.

Jointly "noting the stabilizing role of [Russia's] existing peacekeeping operation," Putin and Yushchenko call for its transformation into an OSCE-sponsored "peace-guaranteeing operation," once a political resolution to the conflict is achieved. This reflects Moscow's familiar position that its troops are to stay in Moldova indefinitely, first as "peacekeepers" pending a political settlement, then to be re-designated as "guarantors" of that settlement. Moscow would accept a cosmetic internationalization of the troop contingent in return for OSCE legitimization of it.

By Vladimir Socor

______________________

Eurasia Daily Monitor is published by The JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION -- Launched in 1984, the Jamestown Foundation rapidly became the leading source of information about the inner workings of closed totalitarian societies. Over the past two decades, Jamestown has developed an extensive global network of such experts -- from the Black Sea to Siberia, from the Persian Gulf to the Pacific. This core of intellectual talent includes former high-ranking government officials and military officers, political scientists, journalists, scholars and economists. Their insight contributes significantly to policymakers engaged in addressing today's new and emerging global threats, including that from international terrorists.




Source: Eurasia Daily Monitor

Basescu: EU accession delay unacceptable for Romania (Jan 16, 2006)

Romania's President Traian Basescu and PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu during the Govt's meeting on Thursday (Jan 12, 2006)

(Initially published in www.romania-report.ro -- Jan 16 -- 2006)


Bucharest – Last Thursday (Jan 12, 2006), President Traian Basescu attended the Romanian Government weekly meeting. Basescu outlined the urgent need for fine-tuning the country’s institutional efforts in order to meet EU accession requirements. Earlier last week, a French MP’s delegation, led by Herve de Charette, the deputy president of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the French Parliament, said Romania should enter EU by Jan 1, 2007.

On Friday, Traian Basescu welcomed the EIB VP Wolfgang Roth, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace to discuss the latest infrastructure loans approved by EIB for Romania.

Last week, President Basescu, while attending the Romanian Government weekly meeting, asked the Cabinet members to correlate their efforts in order to boost Romania’s achieve its objectives for the year and solve the pending issues related to Romania' said.

The head of state reiterated that delaying Romania's accession to the EU is unacceptable, stressing that the Romanian authorities have many other issues to solve this year -- issues unrelated to the European body of law of the obligations pledged for accession to the EU.

Romania's President Traian Basescu on Friday welcomed Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Wolfgang Roth, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace to discuss the latest infrastructure loans approved by EIB for Romania.

Among these loans are a 250-million-euro loan for the Cernavoda-Constanta motorway; a 300-million-euro loan for reconstruction works on the Curtici-Simeria railroad portion as well as a 300-million-euro loan for the reconstruction of flood-stricken infrastructures and the start of a new flood prevention project.

President Basescu mentioned Romania's need for massive funds in 2007-2013 for rapid development of transport infrastructures, rural development and environmental protection. He asked EIB to consider adding 30 billion euros to the financial grants extended by the European Union to Romania.

The President mentioned that Romania can ask for these additional funds because her indebtedness is low, which allows her to request long-term credit, and because she could rapidly develop her own infrastructures and rural areas, provided that besides the 30 billion euros in financial grants from the European Union she might get further funds of 30 billion euros.

EIB Vice-President Roth agreed with the idea of a rapid development programme for Romania, saying EIB might extend to Romania long-term loans of between 20 and 30 years, with a period of grace of 5 to 7 years. He added that Romania should be able to rapidly set in place structures for the absorption of the funds to be granted.

President Basescu assured the EIB official that the Romanian Government will establish such structures.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) expects Romania to enter the European Union on January 1, 2007, EIB's vice-president Wolfgang Roth on Friday said upon the meeting with PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu at Victoria Palace, the Romanian Gov’t HQ.

Romania Report & sources