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RADOR: News from Romania, 97-04-03
April 3, 1997
CONTENTS
[01] Washington considers inviting Romania to join NATO integration
negociations
[02] The agenda of the Romanian Foreign Ministry
[03] Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea hopes the State budget will be
passed in the next 10 days
[04] Trade unions in agriculture oppose the decision of the Romanian
Government to cut down customs duties on food imports
[05] Jewish properties confiscated by communists are to be returned to
their rightful owners
[06] The weather
[01] Washington considers inviting Romania to join NATO integration
negociations
After meeting with Romanian President Emil Constantinescu, the German
minister for cooperation and development, Carl Dieter Spranger, said he was
impressed with the reform strategy in Romania and with the courage the
Government shows in asking the people to make further sacrifice. As far as
Romania's integration in NATO and the EU goes, the German minister said the
country's incumbent leaders have enhanced Romania'N chances for
integration. Germany supports the integration, but no decision has been
reached on the timing, as Mr Spranger put it. Romania's integration is also
supported by Greece, France, Italy, the main southern pillars of the
Alliance. In another move, US Ambassador to Bucharest Alfred Moses said
Washington considered Romania might be invited to join the integration
negociations. RRI-RADOR, April 3
[02] The agenda of the Romanian Foreign Ministry
On April 9, the Austrian foreign minister Wolfgang Schussel will pay a
visit to Romania. The spokeswoman for the Romanian Foreign Ministry said
the talks with Romanian officials in Bucharest would concentrate on
regional cooperation, security in Europe, and how to back up Romania's
efforts for joining the EU. Upon the invitation of Romanian President, the
head of the European Commission, Jacques Santer will be in a visit to
Bucharest on April 10 and 11. The Romanian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman
also announced that on April 3 and 4 tNe foreign minister of the Republic
of Moldova, Mihai Popov, would visit Bucharest. The efforts of the Romanian
diplomacy for integration into NATO would be backed up by Academician
Nicolae Cajal and MPs Ion Ratiu and Radu Budeanu who would be lobbying for
this with NATO member countries, as ambassadors with special prerogatives.
RRI-RADOR, April 3
[03] Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea hopes the State budget will be
passed in the next 10 days
The parliamentary commissions resumed the debate, on Wednesday, on the
draft budget forwarded by Romania's Government on Tuesday. Prime Minister
Victor Ciorbea hopes the budget will be passed in 10 days, while the
finance minister Mircea Ciumara says two weeks is a more appropriate
deadline. Political observers in Bucharest say any delay would confirm the
feeling that inside the ruling coallition disagreements after the disputes
on the distribution of budgetary funds still persist. In the wake of the
disputes, the budgets alloted to heNlth care, research and technology, to
Parliament and the Presidency have been increased. Sources inside PDSR, the
main opposition party, intimated that they could back up the draft budget
provided some ammendments were adopted. Anyway, numerous ammendments have
already been submitted to the parliamentary commissions, but many will be
rejected as they do not mention the funding sources. Some sources could
come up eventually, but could be used only after the budget was rectified,
probably during the summer, such as: the debts of economic agents estimated
at 1,700 billion lei (some 260 million dollars). Under a government
ordinance, facilities for the payment of debts ended on March 31, and not
December 31 as previously scheduled. Labor and social protection minister
Alexandru Atanasiu said forced execution for recovering the debts would
also be considered. However, during talks between government, opposition,
employers' association, and trade unions a compromise could be reached, as
some entreprises have serious economic problems caused by the legislation
in force. RRI-RADOR, April 3
[04] Trade unions in agriculture oppose the decision of the Romanian
Government to cut down customs duties on food imports
The National Federation of Trade Unions in Agriculture has stood against
the Romanian Government decision to drastically cut down customs duties on
food imports. These products which are subsidized in their countries of
origin will be sold at rather low prices. Consequently they will invade the
Romanian markets, eliminating the Romanian small producers who are not
given such subsidies. Against this background, farmers' representatives say
this is unfair competition, turning Romania into a market for foreign farm
products. Among other things, they demand that subsidies for Romanian
agriculture be maintained. On Tuesday, the Romanian minister of trade and
industry, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, said he was sure that measure would
immediately stimulate production Nnd bring prices down. The cut down in
customs duties would bring a protection for consumers, and not for
producers, he concluded. RRI-RADOR, April 3
[05] Jewish properties confiscated by communists are to be returned to
their rightful owners
Romanian Senate speaker Petre Roman said the return to their rightful
owners of Jewish properties confiscated by communists in Romania would be
an act of justice and also a very good signal for the democratic
developments in Romania. Petre Roman made this statement after a meeting in
Bucharest with Menahem Ariav, chairman of the Organization of Romanian born
Jews. RRI-RADOR, April 3
[06] The weather
A cold day in Romania, with rains and snowfalls expected in the south. The
highs of the day will range between 6 and 16 Centigrade. A grim and rainy
day in Bucharest, also. RADOR, April 3
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