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RADOR: News from Romania, 97-12-30
December 30, 1997
CONTENTS
[01] Project on the Construction of an Asia - Europe Economic Passage
[02] Death of the Romanian Painter Corneliu Baba
[03] Not a Personal Special Favour
[04] Appointment of the New Romanian Foreign Minister
[05] Statements of the CTIR President, George Cojocaru
[06] The ARD President Is Not Pleased with the Decision Transforming the
Agency into a Department for Promoting Foreign Investments
[07] The "Dacia Felix" Bank Will Continue Its Reorganization Procedure
[08] Demand Filed by COLUMNA Bank
[09] Opinions of the Chief of BNR Communication Department, Adrian
Vasilescu
[10] PETROMIN On the Verge of the Bankruptcy
[11] New Prices For Phonecalls
[12] Currency Rates
[13] Weather in Romania
[01] Project on the Construction of an Asia - Europe Economic Passage
The President of the ROMANIA AT CROSSROADS Forum and counsellor of
Romania's President Professor Dan Capatina presented on Monday a project on
the construction of an economic passage between central Asian countrieD and
Europe via Romania. Under this project oil can be transported from the
Caspian Sea through the Black Sea to the Romanian port of Constanta and it
will also allow using the oil processing and storage facilities Romania
has. The President of teh Forum has announced the setting up of the Black
Sea consortium that was planned to include transport and oil processing
companies along with a Romanian development Bank. RRI-RADOR, December 30
[02] Death of the Romanian Painter Corneliu Baba
One of the greatest Romanian painters of this century Corneliu Baba died on
Sunday aged 91. Corneliu Baba was an honourary member of prestigious
cultural institutions such as the Soviet Union's Academy of Arts, the
Western Berlin Academy of Arts or the Tomaso Campanella Academy in Italy.
From 1963 he also was a correspondent member of the Romanian Academy and he
became full member in 1990. In 1992 he became honourary member of Russia's
Academy of Arts and the George Enescu conservatory in Iasi awarded hDm the
title of Doctor Honoris Causa in 1994. His paintings have been admired by
art lovers in many personal exhibitions in Romania and abroad. Corneliu
Baba's works were gathered in October 1997 at the National Art Museum in
Bucharest in a retrospective considered to be one of the greatest cultural
events of this decade. RRI-RADOR, December 30
[03] Not a Personal Special Favour
Romania's former sovereign King Michael Ist told FRANCE PRESSE on Monday
that he put together the restitution of his assets confiscated by
communists in 1948 and the restitution of goods of all Romanian that have
been deprived of them at that time. Michael Ist added his relation with the
incumbents is much better than they used to to be under the former rulers
of Romania. The former sovereign also said that President Constantinescu
enabled him to advocate Romania's cause abroad. As far as Romania's
European integration goes, King Michael said he would spare no effort to
help this country. The left wing opposiDion blamed King Michael for making
the commitment to regainb the throne of the country but he answered he had
no intention to claim that the rule in these moments that are essential to
Romania's future. King Michael said he did not decided yet whether to
settle in Romania or not. RRI-RADOR, December 30
[04] Appointment of the New Romanian Foreign Minister
Andrei Plesu's term in office as foreign minister was validated on Monday
He had been already heard by special parliamentary commissions. In his
acceptance address Andrei Plesu said a new type of diplomacy was needed
with modern reflexes, flexibility and language. Plesu added that a major
concern of the foreign ministry would be to raise a new generation of
diplomats. About Romania's policy on its way to join the EU and NATO Mr.
Plesu said that there were other ways of action too, besides the tough and
intense offensive developed so far and he added the Romanian people should
get to know more about these two bodies. Plesu said that nDw Europe meant
Germany and that Romania had special relations with that country. The new
head of the Romanian diplomacy is not member of any political party. A
distinguished cultural personality well known in Romania and abroad, Andrei
plesu was one of teh many anti-communist dissidents. He is also Doctor in
Fine Arts and Rector of the NEW EUROPE College. Between 1990 and 1991 Plesu
was minister of culture in the first post-revolutionary governmet. Plesu's
appointment comes after the former head of the Foreign Ministry Adrian
Severin has resigned. Minister Plesu also said that he would call all
former foreign ministers for meetings for asking them to share their
expertise in the field and to provide counselling.
[05] Statements of the CTIR President, George Cojocaru
The president of the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Romania (CTIR),
George Cojocaru, believes that the negative factors affecting small and
medium size enterprises are the excessive taxes and the way of giving bank
Dredits, especially for the production activity. He said to the ROMPRES
Press Agency that CTIR ideas found themselves in the tranzition and
economic development concept of the Government, differences coming from the
rhythm and the way of giving life to the principles of the reform. RRI-
RADOR, December 30
[06] The ARD President Is Not Pleased with the Decision Transforming the
Agency into a Department for Promoting Foreign Investments
The president of the Romanian Agency for Development (ARD), Andrei Dimitriu,
said that he was not consulted when the decision regarding the
transformation of the agency into a department for promoting foreign
investments was taken. In an interview given to ROMPRES, Mr. Dimitriu said
the coordination of the agency by the Privatization Ministry was "normal"
and the loss of its autonomy and independence might influence negatively
its image abroad and the foreign investments, comparing the situation in
Romania to the situation in Ghana. RRI-RADOR, December 30 D<P>
[07] The "Dacia Felix" Bank Will Continue Its Reorganization Procedure
The appeal filed by the National Bank of Romania was overruled by the
Supreme Court of Justice, that decided on Monday the "Dacia Felix" Bank
should continue its reorganization procedure. The appeal filed by BNR
contested a court decision settling the start of the reorganization
procedure at "Dacia Felix" and demanded its closing down by court
injunction. RRI-RADOR, December 30
[08] Demand Filed by COLUMNA Bank
The solicitor of COLUMNA Bank filed a demand on Monday asking the process
of the bank to be judged at another court in the country. The Supreme Court
of Justice is going to say on February 17 if the demand is or is not
accepted. The State Ownership Fund and the Central Savings Bank (CEC)
initiated the closing down procedure due to the debts unpayed of the
COLUMNA Bank two months ago. RRI-RADOR, December 30
[09] Opinions of the Chief of BNR Communication Department, Adrian
Vasilescu
The Government adopted on DeceDber 24 an emergency order regarding the
attraction of direct investments and the relations between Romanian and
foreign investors. Adrian Vasilescu said in an interview: "The authors of
the project have rushed themselves and announced the global income tax
would have to be payed starting from January 1, but for now the Finance
Ministry does not have the necessary infrastructure for such a big
operation, a revolution in the Romanian fiscal system. Even though, this
order represents an important step towards this global income tax, as there
have been settled the taxes for the incomes of the lawyers, doctors, ...".
Referring to the bank interest tax, Mr. Vasilescu said: "The the fact that
this would mean a inflation tax, even a double imposal was neglected
because in Romania bank interests do not always mean incomes." RRI-RADOR,
December 30
[10] PETROMIN On the Verge of the Bankruptcy
The leadership of the Territorial Department o the State Ownership Fund
Constanta decided the managemenD contract of PETROMIN SA managerial team
should end. A report sent for debate to the Shareholders' Assembly by SOF
Constanta says that due to the bad management, PETROMIN will probably reach
bankruptcy, although it registered in the first 6 months of this year a 70
billion lei profit, but this money came from the selling of boats.
According to ROMPRES, the managerial team considers the results of the SOF
economic analysis to be unreal and illegal. RRI-RADOR, December 30
[11] New Prices For Phonecalls
Starting from January 1, the cost of the phonecalls will increase, but the
number of free phonecalls will double. Now private persons will have right
to 100 free impulses. All phonecalls between 10:00 and 14:00 hours or 19:00
and 21:00 hours will be more expensive than the ones made outside this
periods. The most cheap phonecalls will be those made between 23:00 and
7:00. RRI-RADOR, December 30
[12] Currency Rates
1 USD = 8007 Lei 1 DM = 4512 Lei 1 CHF = 5578 Lei 1 FRF = 1349 Lei 1 GBP =
1D,430 Lei 1 XEU = 8927 Lei. RADOR, December 30
[13] Weather in Romania
High temperatures for this period of the year are expected, as well as
rains in the South of the country and poor snow in the North and in the
mountains. The maximum temperatures will range between 0 and 8 centigrades,
the minimum between -4 and 2 centigrades. RADOR, December 30
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