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RADOR: News from Romania, 97-12-31
December 31, 1997
CONTENTS
[01] Worries and Approvals
[02] No Need to Worry about a Government Crisis
[03] General Staff Generals Dismissed
[04] The Privatisation Process in Romania to Be Sped Up
[05] Currency Rates
[06] Weather in Romania
[01] Worries and Approvals
On Tuesday it was 50 years since King Michael the Ist abdicated. On
December 30th, 1947, forced by the communists, King Michael signed the act
of abdication, by which he and his successors renounced any state
prerogatives. A few days later, he left Romania, living in exile for almost
half a century. After the fall of communism, in 1989, the new Romanian
authorities allowed the former sovereign to visit Romania only once. Then
he was welcomed with enthusiasm by thousands of Romanians, although
according to the polls monarchists account for barely 8-10 per cent. After
the change-over of power in 1996 in Romania the former sovereign received
back his Romanian citizenship and now he can visit his country whenever he
wants. He is in Bucharest now and he expresses his wish to settle here with
his family. The first reactions after this announcement came from the
President of the National Liberal Party in the ruling coalition who
believes that the right of Michael to live in Romania cannot be contested.
For the President of the Romania's alternative Party, the former
sovereign's settling in Romania is a step towards normality. The main
opposition party - the Party of Social Democracy - has expressed its
concern over what it considered to be a politicising of the actions and
stands of the former sovereign. This party considers that King Michael's
settling in Romania will have consequences difficult to foresee in terms of
internal political stability. RRI-RADOR, December 31
[02] No Need to Worry about a Government Crisis
Four Romanian Trade Union Confederations threatrened to block road and
railway traffic if the resignation of the Transports Minister Traian
Basescu was final. Basescu had previously asked the trade unionists to
refrain from any protest that should be prejudicial from the population.
Petre Roman, the leader of the Democratic Party of which Traian Basescu is
member, told a press conference that what the resigning Transports Minister
had said in an interview published by the daily EVENIMENTUL ZILEI was true.
Petre Roman also said that Basescu's decision to talk about the weak
poinmts of the Government shouldn't have been a reason for Prime-Minister
Victor Ciorbea to ask for the Transports Minister's resignation. In spite
of all that, the Democratic Party's leader said that in his opinion the
incident could not cause an iminent crisis in the government coalition. In
the next few days the Democratic Party is to announce Traian Basescu's
successor. Commenting on the Prime-Minister's decision to ask for Basescu's
resignation, Ion Diaconescu, the leader of the Christian Democratic
National Peasant Party - the main government coalition party - said that
the Prime-Minister's demand was fully justified. Ion Diaconescu added that
the interdiction of public criticism against the prime-minister and the
governing partners was the main condition for a good functioning of the
coalition. RRI-RADOR, December 31
[03] General Staff Generals Dismissed
The Romanian Defence Minister Victor Babiuc fired several senior officers
from the Romanian Army's General Staff whom he believed being responsible
for his failing to visit the Romanian troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Victor
Babiuc also demanded explanations from the the Chief of Staff of the
Romanian Army General Constantin Degeratu. The order issued by the Minister
also lays dowen that the accreditation of the Romanian military attache in
Croatia should be extended for Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Romanian Defence
Minister was not allowed to to land in Sarajevo last Saturday when he
wanted to spend the third day of Christmas with the Romanian soldiers in
Bosnia. SFOR officials said certain formalities hadn't been fulfilled.
RRI-RADOR, December 31
[04] The Privatisation Process in Romania to Be Sped Up
The privatisation process in Romania will be sped up and several big
companies will be sold by auction and this is expected to attract foreign
investors - Prime-Minister Victor Ciorbea said to REUTERS. Starting on
February `98 - Mr. Ciorbea added - the State Ownership Fund is expected to
sign 80 deals with foreign banks in a search for strategic investors for
the big state owned companies. RRI-RADOR, December 31
[05] Currency Rates
1 USD = 8015 Lei 1 DM = 4471 Lei 1 CHF = 5511 Lei 1 FRF = 1336 Lei 1 GBP =
13,338 Lei 1 XEU = 8845 Lei. RADOR, December 31
[06] 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 4 and 10 centigrades,
the minimum between -5 and 4 centigrades. RADOR, December 31
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