|
|
|
RADOR: News from Romania, 98-05-07
May 7, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Investigation Results Concerning Cigarette Smuggling Case;
[02] Traian Basescu Says Civil Aviation Authorities Did Nothing but
Observed All Flight Procedures;
[03] Gheorghe Trutulescu Acted in His Own Name;
[04] ApR Claims That Those Involved in the "Cigarette Affair" Are
Neglecting the Interests of Romania;
[05] PUNR in Support of Parliamentary Inquiry Commission to Investigate
Cigarette Smuggling at Otopeni Airport;
[06] Romania Is Ready to Participate in a European Reaction Force;
[07] Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu at the Council of Europe's
Ministerial Committee in Strasbourg;
[08] Klaus Kinkel Has Urged Romania to Understand That Entry Visa Was a
"Delicate" Matter;
[09] Romanian Defence Minister Met His Austrian Counterpart;
[10] Romanian Festival in Tel Aviv;
[11] International Military Training Exercise "Cooperative Lantern '98";
[12] Prime Minister Radu Vasile in an Interview with "Magyar Hirlap"
Newspaper.
[01] Investigation results concerning cigarette smuggling case
According to a communique issued by the Army Press office, Romanian Defence
Minister Victor Babiuc has designated a commission to investigate the
events at the 90 Air Transport base on March 23. Following the
investigation, its report says that Colonel Gheorghe Trutulescu and Dumitru
Popescu met the Unit Commander Ioan Suciu on Marcu 23 at 5.30 PM. The SFV
302 flight of the AN 12 plane belonging to Air Sofia and covering the Sofia-
Otopeni-Sofia line has landed on the Otopeni International Airport on March
23 at 8.55 PM and then moved to base 90. The agents representing the airpot
authorities were paid 927 USD for landing taxes. According to preliminary
reports, the access and driving operations were completed around 9 PM and
approved by Commander Ioan Suciu. Five vehicules were alloed acces to the
airport through the check point of Gate 4 at 8.30 PM. The existing evidence
may prove that loading-unloading operation could be coordinated by both
Colonel TrutMlescy and Commander Suciu. The vehicules have left the airport
through Gate 2 at 11.30 PM. The gate was opened and closed following an
order by the commander of the base. RADOR
[02] Traian Basescu says Civil Aviation authorities did nothing but
observed all flight procedures
While attending the proceedings of the Industry and Services Commission in
the House of Deputies on Wednesday, Romanian Transport Minister Traian
Basescu said that as far as the "Otopeni Affair" was concerned, the Civil
Aviation did nothing but strictly observed all flight procedures. Mr
Basescu informed that the Air Sofia airliners would be banned from flying
the Romanian territory as soon as the Romanian authorities would receive
the cargo documents the Bulgarian commander had. In his turn, the deputy
representing the opposition Party of Social Democracy in Romania, Chief
Commissioner Dan Ioan Popescu declared that, following discussions, the
"Otopeni Affair" proved far from being the only smuggling case in reMent
days, and there was evidence proving the involvement of army in such
affairs. RADOR
[03] Gheorghe Trutulescu acted in his own name
Gheorghe Trutulescu's lawyer declared on Wednesday evening that his client
was interrogated in connection with the cigarette transport on April 16-17.
He said Trutulescu did not act as representative of the SPP (Presidential
Guard and Protection Service) during the operation. When asked by
journalists if other names where mentioned at the hearing, the lawyer said
he was not supposed to give any further details on the matter. RADOR
[04] ApR claims that those involved in the "Cigarette Affair" are
neglecting the interests of Romania
The Alliance for Romania Party (ApR) says those involved in the "Cigarette
Affair" are neglecting Romania's interests in an unacceptable manner while
favouring party interests. At a press conference on Wednesday, the ApR
leaders said that the positions of our state institutions were not supposed
to improve Romania's imageMinto the world at a time when the government
crisis already deteriorated it. As far as the Budget was concerned, the ApR
expresses its regrets that the commissions in parliament did not accept any
of the amendments it proposed. Deputy Nicolae Popa said his party would
vote for the Budget in case the amendment concerning the destination of
privatisation resulting funds was accepted. Otherwise, the party will make
its political decision on the matter at the right time. RADOR
[05] PUNR in support of parliamentary inquiry commission to investigate
cigarette smuggling at Otopeni airport
The opposition Romanians' National Unity Party (PUNR) says the initiative
to set up a parliamentary inquiry commission for the Otopeni cigarette
smuggling case belongs to the Opposition as a whole. The commission should
be urgently set up as the institutions responsible did not seem to be able
to solve such a complicated case of corruption and smuggling. PUNR believes
that any attempt to delay the settiMg up of the commission will do nothing
but confirm that the ruling Christian Democrat National Peasant Party
(PNTCD), National Liberal Party (PNL) and Democratic Union of Ethnic
Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) are trying to hush the involvment of high
ranking officials up. In a press communique, PUNR leader Valeriu Tabara
says his party was not involved in any of the corruption and smuggling
cases in Romania since 1990. RADOR
[06] Romania is ready to participate in a European reaction force
While in Madrid on Wednesday, Senate Speaker Petre Roman said Romania was
ready to participate in a European reaction force to intervene and solve
emerging crisis. He mentioned a number of military units and logistic
facilities that Romania was ready to offer in case such a force would be
created. Mr Roman is attending a conference on "Security and Defence
Indentity in Europe", and other participants include NATO Secretary General
Javier Solana, WEO secretary general, EU defence ministers, NATO chiefM
commanders and Spanich government officials. In another development, Petre
Roman met Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and former Prime Minister
Felipe Gonzalez. RADOR
[07] Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu at the Council of Europe's
Ministerial Committee in Strasbourg
"GRECO will be a new body aimed at monitoring the implementation of the 20
leading principles of the fight against corruption. The principles were
adopted during the last ministerial session. Romania has a good position
and it could provide efficient solutions", Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei
Plesu said while in Strasbourg. He has welcomed the Parliamentary
Assembly's decision to conclude its monitoring of Romania and said the
country would "carefully observe all its commitments in the very next
future".
Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu and the president of the Council of
Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Mrs Leni Fischer admitted that the Amnesty
International report on Romania included "a Meries of old and redundant
matters". Mrs Fischer said the new government in Bucharest should have the
"chance to work" and solve the problems the report mentioned. She admitted
that the resumption of Romania's monitoring was out of the question. As far
as the entry visa issue was concerned, minister Plesu rejected such
discriminating suggestions claiming that "the eastern border of the EU
should be secured".
The Dnestrian issue was the subject of the talks between Romanian Foreign
Minister Andrei Plesu and his Polish counterpart who is also the current
president of the OSCE. Mr Plesu has asked the Polish minister to reflect
and find possible ways to clear up the problems concerning the status of
the Dnestrian territory. RADOR
[08] Klaus Kinkel has urged Romania to understand that entry visa was a
"delicate" matter
While in Bonn, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said he understood the
concern that some contries expressed about the movement of their citizens,
but it was notMa policy against a certain state. This is why, Romania
should understand that the matter was ver "delicate". Recalling that,
unfortunately, Romania was "involved in events that should not happen" -
allusion to Romanian gangs operating on German territory - Mr Kinkel has
stressed: "To conclude, Romania should take measures to solve such
problems". RADOR
[09] Romanian defence minister met his Austrian counterpart
While on a visit to Bucharest on Wednesday, Austrian Defence Minister
Werner Fasslablend said his visit was expected to strengthen bilateral
relations seen as very important for the CEN COOP peace-keeping and the
NATO expansion. The statement was made his first round of talks with his
Romanian counterpart Victor Babiuc. The Austrian minister added that
Austria perceived Romania as a pole of stability in South-East Europe and
believed the cooperation in Central Europe was very important as both
countries shared the waters of the Danube river. Romanian Defence Minister
VictorMBabiuc has announced that Romania was to coordinate a workshop for
air and navy transport and, along with Austria and Hungary, the country is
to participate in a joint monitoring initiative of their water routes.
RADOR
[10] Romanian festival in Tel Aviv
A Romanian festival was organised recently in Tel Aviv on the occasion of
the Israeli State's jubilee and the 50-th anniversary of uninterrupted
Romanian-Israeli relations. It is for the first time when a Romanian-
Israeli show was organised on such a large scale. Romanian Prime Minister
Radu Vasile sent a message of congratulation to the Israeli community of
Romanian descent pointing out that Romania was always a friend of the
Israeli people. The traditional friendship between the two countries was an
extremely generous opportunity to encourage even closer relations in recent
years, the message said. The Romanian ambassador to Israel, the Israeli
ambassador to Romania, the mayor of Tel Aviv and the president of the
Romanian Jews UMion have attended the show. RADOR
[11] International military training exercise "Cooperative Lantern '98"
The Romanian officers participating in the NATO-Partnership for Peace
"Cooperative Lantern '98" training exercise have occupied the area where
the commanders were expected to establish the headquarters of the
operation. The response unit of the international batallion is under
Belgian command. The headquarters of the international brigade in
Balatonkenede, Hungary, use Romanian-made DAC special cargo vehicules.
RADOR
[12] Prime Minister Radu Vasile in an interview with "Magyar Hirlap"
newspaper
The Hungarian daily "Magyar Hirlap" newspaper published an interview with
Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile on Wednesday. The prime minister
rejects the idea of territorial authonomy on ethnic criteria, but expresses
his support for the cultural authonomy of the Hungarian minority in
Romania. He said that, according to recent reports, hundreds of thousands
of ethnic Hungarians left RomMnia in the last 5-6 years. The situation is
unacceptable for a minority wishing to preserve its identity, the prime
minister added. According to the same source, the prime minster said the
ethnic Hungarians' demands of mother tongue education and Hungarian
language teaching university were justified. RADOR
|
