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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-06-24
June 24, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Senate Proceedings;
[02] House of Deputies Proceedings;
[03] PDSR Is Against Seeting Up Universities on Ethnic Criteria;
[04] President Constantinescu on a Visit to Romanian Counties Affected by
Floods;
[05] Agreement Between Mining Trade Unionists and Industry and Trade
Ministry Officials;
[06] Romanian President on a Visit to the US;
[07] Romanian Prime Minister on a Visit to Poland;
[08] Meeting of Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu;
[09] NATO International Workshop.
[01] Senate proceedings
At its session on Tuesday, the Romanian Senate has discussed the draft law
allowing the Government to issue ordinances. Following debates, the
Government was allowed to issue such documents for 11 of the 15 fields
under discussion during the holiday. The fields involved include
international agreements, financial support for farmers, budget-financial
issues, health system, national education, defence and national minorities
matters. Debates over the draft law are exJected to continue next Monday.
RADOR
Tuesday's debates in the Senate have also included the draft law supporting
the Romanian communities all over the world. The document stipulates the
setting up of the Eudoxiu Hurmuzaki Centre for Romanians all over the world
- a public institution of higher education degree under National Education
Ministry (MEN) coordination. The centre is expected to draw up programmes
in support of schools in mainly Romanian communties abroad (in neighbouring
countries especially) and coordinate training programmes for young
Romanians abroad wishing to graduate all-level schools in Romania. The
Budget as well as different sponsors, donors and financial-technical
assistance from European organisations are to ensure the financial support
of all programmes. RADOR
[02] House of Deputies proceedings
The Romanian deputies have adopted on Tuesday the draft law establishing
the basic salaries for state-financed institutions and indemnities for
public execuJive positions. The draft law was passed despite protests by
the opposition Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR). The PDSR
deputies have actually left the proceedings because, in their opinion, the
law was immoral as it was stipulating extremely high wages for Romanian
high-ranking officials. At the same time, both majority deputies and
representatives of the opposition Romanians' National Unity Party (PUNR)
have accused the PDSR of populism and demagogy. The deputies have ended
their debates over articles in the draft law on public property rights and
their legal framework. At the meeting on Tuesday, they have also adopted
the draft law on financial support for medium and small farmers. RADOR
[03] PDSR is against setting up universities on ethnic criteria
At a press conference on Tuesday, PDSR vicepresident Ioan Mircea Pascu said
his party was against the setting up of universities on ethnic criteria.
PDSR expresses its support for the existing Babes-Bolyai University in the
Jransylvanian city of Cluj and believes that the university's restructuring
for political interests is mostly inadequate. Mr Pascu has announced that
the PDSR would support Education Minister Andrei Marga in his efforts to
prevent the setting up of a Hungarian language teaching state university.
Referring to the scandal of the former Securitate files, the PDSR
vicepresident said "the institutions entitled to preserve former Securitate
documents were now under no control". RADOR
[04] President Constantinescu on a visit to Romanian counties affected by
floods
After leaving the Moldavian towns of Moinesti and Targu Ocna on Tuesday,
Romanian President Emil Constantinescu has visited the AEROSTAR plane
manufacturer in Bacau. Referring to reports of the recent floods in many
Romanian counties, and Moldavia especially, President Constantinescu said:
"We should present the public opinion with the truth". According to figures
provided by the president, only 0.2% of Romania's territory was affecJed by
floods. "As the funds that Romania's Presidency can provide are most
ridiculous, it can only contribute by coordinating certain financial
resources and creating a feeling of human solidarity", the Romanian
president added. RADOR
[05] Agreement between mining trade unionists and Romanian Industry and
Trade Ministry officials
The leader of the National Confederative Centre of Mining Trade Unions in
Romania (CNCSM), Marin Condescu, has announced on Tuesday that the miners
have reached an agreement with the Industry and Trade Ministry. The
document the two sides have signed said all administration councils and new
directors general of all companies in the mining industry should be
appointed by July 6. At the same time, the copper mines near Deva will turn
into the National Company of Gold and Copper. A draft law is expected to
decide that all spendings for loss-making mines to be closed down will be
considered as public debt. The CNCSM leader warned that his trade union is
to caJl on general strike unless the government will observe all its
promises by July 15. RADOR
[06] Romanian president on a visit to the US
White House officials have announced that Romanian President Emil
Constantinescu is due on a visit to Washington next month for talks
concerning cooperation, trade and security issues. The White House
communique says President Constantinescu's two-day visit (July 15-17) will
provide an evaluation of the strategic partnership between the two
countries a year after President Clinton's visit to Bucharest. Both
presidents believe that the Romanian-American strategic partnership is an
encouraging framework for developing bilateral relations and cooperation in
Romania's attempt to join European and Euro-Atlantic structures. President
Clinton and President Constantinescu are expected to discuss issues
concerning Romania's reform process, NATO expansion and promotion of trade
and investments of mutual interest. The two presidents are also expected to
disJuss their countries' cooperation in defence, legal, energy, agriculture,
technology and environmental matters. Before leaving for Romania, President
Constantinescu will go on a visit to Chicago and San Francisco. RADOR
[07] Romanian prime minister on a visit to Poland
Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile met the Marshal of the Polish Seim
(ed.n. the speaker of Polish Parliament). Yesterday morning, the Romanian
delegation visited Warsaw's old districts, St. John Cathedral, the main
stronghold of the ancient city and the Royal Castle. After having talks
with the marshal and the deputy marshal of the Polish Seim, the Romanian
prime minister organised a press conference for journalists accopanying the
Romanian delegation to Poland. According to the same source, both sides
have agreed that a system of interparliamentary relations should be created
as parliaments in the two countries play a major role in developing
bilateral relations. In this respect, Poland would like the Ukrainian
pJrliament getting involved in the dialogue. Poland has also proposed a
meeting of senators in Central and East-European countries while the
Romanian prime minister believed that a future meeting of Central and East-
European christian-democrat parties would be most interesting. He pointed
out the Poland played a major role in the region. When asked about the
future relations between Romania and Hungary, Mr Vasile said he welcomed
the democratic process in Hungary, despite some alarming statements made
recently. He however expressed the hope that relations between the two
countries would not change. RADOR
[08] Meetings of Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu
Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu had talks on Tuesday with Dumitru
Diacov, the speaker of the Parliament in the Republic of Moldova. The talks
focused on issues concernign bilateral relations and recent political and
economic developments in the two countries. Mr Plesu has welcomed the
wisdom proved by Moldovan politicians Jn putting together a governing
coalition. He pointed out that such political success should have good
results and confirmed by facts. Mr Plesu and Mr Diacov said that both
Bucharest and Kishinev had the political will to further encourage
developing relations betweent the two countries. RADOR
Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu met Khosrov Harutonian, the speaker
of the Armenian Parliament, on Tuesday. Mr Plesu said the Caspian region
was soon expected to become the pillar of international energy exchange and
relations between Romania and Armenia could be enforced through the new
routes connecting the Caspian Sea to Western Europe via Romania. Referring
to Romanian-Armenian bilateral relations, Mr Plesu said a Romanian embassy
in Yerevan should open as soon as possible. The two officials have also
examined the future cooperation of the Romania-Georgia-Armenia triangle.
RADOR
[09] NATO international workshop
The 15-th NATO International Workshop has been taking place in VJenna
between June 20-22 on NATO's future security challenges. Back to Bucharest,
Romanian Defence Minister Victor Babiuc said on Tuesday that the conference
was very important as NATO's new security concept and the Kosovo crisis
were the priorities under debate. It is Romania's President Emil
Constantinescu who made the opening speech at the meeting in Vienna while
the speech of Mr Babiuc referred to "Romania as Part of Central and East-
European Security". As far as the Kosovo crisis is concerned, Mr Babiuc
expects that recent talks in Moscow between President Yeltsin and President
Milosevic may clarify Serbia's position on its military presence in the
province. RADOR
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