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RADOR: News from Romania, 97-04-04
1997, April 4
CONTENTS
[01] Oppinion poll on shock therapy
[02] Strike organized by the mining employees
[03] Ukraine will be asked to recognize the Romanian minority
[04] France supports Romania's accession into NATO in the first wave
[05] Klaus Kinkel will visit Romania
[06] Weather
[01] Oppinion poll on shock therapy
A majority of Romanians, that is 51%, believe that the shock therapy
apllied by the Ciorbea Cabinet is beneficial to the country's economy. This
is one of the conclusions of the latest oppinion poll conducted by the
Centre for Urban and Regional Sociology in Bucharest. Only 14% of Romanians
anticipate the collapse of the national economy as a result of the reform
programme. According to 49% of the respondents, the Cabinet in office will
run the country better that the previous governments. In February, the
Marketing and Polling Institute found that 64% of Romanians credited the
current government with a more successful rule than the former cabinets.
Separately, the poll deals with tNe Romanians' income. Only 0.5% of the
respondents said they had everything they needed. 43% said their income
could only buy them the bare necessities. Widespread social is feared by
48% of the respondents, unless the economic situation gets better in a few
months, one year at most. If voting were to take place these days, the
Democratic Convention, the coallition that won the November 1996 election
would garner 42% of the votes. In November, the Convention polled only 30%
of the votes. Instead, the opinion poll conducted in February indicated the
Democratic Convention would have been credited with 50% of the Romanian
votes. The main party in the opposition, the Party of Social Democracy has
the confidence of 24% of the respondents, 2 percentage points more than in
November 1996. In February, the Party of Social Democracy would have been
voted by 19% of the respondents. The latest opinion poll indicates that the
republic is favored by 85% of the population, while only 5% of RomanianN
are in favor of monarchy, 10% being undecided. RRI-RADOR, April 4, 1997
[02] Strike organized by the mining employees
For two hours on Thursday, the employees of the Oltenia Brown Coal
Administration, the largest mining company in Romania went on a token
strike, to protest that the planned restructuring is not doubled by an
adequate welfare programme. For the mining industry, the restructuring
programme forsees, besides privatisation and implementation of new
technologies, the closure of the unprofitable mines. The Oltenia
Administration would have to cut jobs by 20%, laying off some 10 thousand
employees. A referendum called by the Brown Coal Adminsitration said no to
the privatisation of the mining company and to that of the associated
mines. An opposite stand is taken by the Mining Trade Unions Central
Authority, favorable to restructuring. The leaders of the Central Authority
has been described by Romanian president Emil Constantinescu as we quote
"more reformist than many Nf the bodies empowered to implement the reform".
But other trade union leaders have accused them of playing into the hands
of the government.RRI-RADOR, April 4, 1997
[03] Ukraine will be asked to recognize the Romanian minority
Petre Roman, chairman of the Romanian Senate, stated on Thursday that
Romania would call on Ukraine to both recognize the Romanian minority
living in that country, and contribute to the rebirth of cultural identity
with the Romanians in Northern Bucovina and Southern Basarabia. Petre Roman
feels this issue can also be settled under the Bilateral Treaty between
Romania and Ukraine. He said he would bring this up during his upcoming
visit to Kiev. RRI-RADOR, April 4, 1997
[04] France supports Romania's accession into NATO in the first wave
On Thursday, the French president, Jaques Chirac, stated in Prague that he
would like to see the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Romania join NATO
in the first wave. According to France Press news agency, he also stoodNfor
European Union and NATO eastward enlargement without delay. In another
development, OSCE high commissioner for National Minorities and Human
Rights, Max van der Stoel said in Bucharest that he was aware of the
importance of Romania and Hungary joining NATO simultaneously. He also
noted that so far none of the NATO countries had expressed opposition to
Romania's accession in the first wave. Mention must be here that Romania
has stepped up its diplomatic efforts for NATO accession. President Emil
Constantinescu has designated deputies Ion Ratiu and Radu Budeanu as
ambassadors to lobby for Romania's admission into the Alliance. To the same
end, numerous Romanian politicians will pay official visits to NATO
countries, and even representatives of the Romanian clergy will endeavor to
promote Romania's accession through contacts with representatives of
foreign academic and religious circles. Another segment of the overall
endeavors for accession is a diplomatic tour by former RomaniNn sovereign,
King Mihai I who, 50 years after being deposed by the communists, has
heeded the Romanian president's request to intercede for Romania with the
Royal Houses of the NATO countries. RRI-RADOR, April 4, 1997
[05] Klaus Kinkel will visit Romania
The Foreign Ministries of Germany and Romania have announced that German
foreing minister Klaus Kinkel will visit Bucharest on April 30th and May
1st, on the first leg of a tour that will also take him to Slovakia.
Kinkel's talks in the two countries will approach bilateral matters as well
as issues related to the accession of Romania and Slovakia to the European
Union and NATO. RRI-RADOR, April 4, 1997
Rainshowers and snow are predominant in the Western parts of Romania.
Highest temperatures will range between 4 and 14 degrees above zero, and
lowest temperatures will be 2 to 4 degrees below zero. A sunny day in
Bucharest, temperature going up to 14 degrees above zero. RADOR, April 4,
1997
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