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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-10-26
October 26, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Army Day;
[02] King Michael's Anniversary;
[03] UDMR Forum in Valea lui Mihai;
[04] PUNR Is Urging the Government to Reject the Minority Law;
[05] Higher Fines for Taxidrivers;
[06] CSAT Decision Allowing Romania to Participate in OSCE Monitoring of
Kosovo;
[07] Romanian Senate Speaker Petre Roman Is Back from Vienna;
[08] Romanian-French Military Cooperation Agreement;
[09] Tandarica Theatre - Host of Puppet International Festival;
[10] "Craiova Days".
[01] Army Day
The message of President Constantinescu
On the occasion of the Army Day on Sunday, Romanian President Emil
Constantinescu congratulated the military and civilians working with the
Defence Department for their efforts in addressing their constitutional
resposibilities. While praising the bravery, sacrifice, order, discipline
and professionalism the military have always proved in the past, but also
today despite transition difficulties, President Constantinescu is urging
the Romanian ArmO to continue in full resposibility the restructuring and
modernisation process along with the training for being able to defend the
country's integrity, unity and sovereignty in any moment. The Romanian
president calls on the military on duty under the three-colour flag to
answer the people's expectations and defend the constitutional order and
the democratic values. RADOR
Military and religious ceremonies
A series of military and religious ceremonies were reported in Bucharest
and other Romanian towns on Sunday. Participants included state officials,
war veterans and foreign military attaches. According to the RRA, President
Constantinescu, Prime Minister Radu Vasile and Defence Minister Victor
Babiuc have attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Unknown Soldier
Memorial in the King Charles' Park. RADOR
Army needs
In a statement to the RRA on Sunday, Romanian Joint Chief of Staff division
general Constantin Degeratu said that, for most of Romanians, the army was
the Oymbol of their hopes. He said that, by the year 2005, the reform,
restructuring and modernisation programme would allow the Romanian Army to
cover all its domestic defence capacities, ensure the country's integration
into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures and answer any possible
emerging crisis. Cosequently, the Romanian Army needs an appropriate budget
and legislation to better answer the responsibilities the army is expected
to assume. RADOR
[02] King Michael's anniversary
Romania's former sovereign, King Michael I of Hochenzollern Sigmaringen who
ruled between 1927-1930 and 1940-1947, was born on October 25, 1921. King
Michael was nominated as candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 - a
prize he may still win as the nomination is valid all life long. Asked to
express his opinions about Romania's recent political developments, HM King
Michael said he was deeply concerned: "I see what is happening and I feel
very sad about it, because, as far as NATO and the EU are cOncerned, we are
just imagining things - as I said many times before, and there's nothing
new about it - as long as our country is not getting any better. My very
wish is to see Romania out of all the troubles it is facing today, and I
really want Romania get back on its former natural track. If I may help and
be where I should be, then it would be only the God's will", King Michael
concluded. RADOR
[03] UDMR forum in Valea lui Mihai
Valea lui MIhai (ed.n. Michael's Valley) hosted a conference on the
"Meeting of the Regions" organised by the branch of the Democratic Union of
Ethnic Hungarians (UDMR) in the Romanian north-western county of Bihor and
the UDMR local branch in Valea lui Mihai. The conference on Sunday was
actually a sequel to a previous meeting initiated by the Reformed Bishop
Laszlo Tokes, also the UDMR honorary president, in Cernatu de Jos last
month. The turnout was lower than the UDMR leadership expected as the
meeting was supposed to continue the dialogue betweO the party's moderate
and hard-line wings. Bishop Laszlo Tokes said the low turnout was due to
the intimidations the UDMR members have been suffering. He said the UDMR
decision to stay in the governing coalition was an insult to the Hungarian
minority. Consequently, the forum was designed to change the UDMR policy
and organise elections as soon as possible. At the Valea lui Mihai forum,
seven decisions were made and the UDMR Council of Representatives was
supposed to approve them in the very next future. The UDMR's participation
in the government is seen as a historical mistake and the status of
personal autonomy as well as the legal special status of civilian autonomy
should be finalised. The return of church properties and confessional
schools and a guarantee for the autonomy of religious beliefs were demanded
as well. Actions such as the Valea lui Mihai conference are expected to
continue. The next meeting is expected in the county of Mures on March 20,
1999. Its theme: "FutureOProgramme of the Hungarian Communty". RADOR
[04] PUNR is urging the government to reject the Minority Law
In a communique issued on Sunday, the Romanians' National Unity Party
(PUNR) says the decision of the National Minorities' Council to allow a
draft law on national minorities is actually confirming the secessionist
and autonomist obsessions of the Romanian Hungarian hardliners. The
communique says PUNR is urging the Romanian Government to reject the draft
law which, in its opinion, is badly affecting Romania's constitutional
order. PUNR believes tha draft law is a UDMR initiative who confirms its
support of anti-Romanian activities organised by Hungarian extremists in
Cernat and Valea lui Mihai in its attempt to set up an autonomous Hungarian
language teaching state university and legalise bilingual inscriptions.
RADOR
[05] Higher fines for taxidrivers
The Bucharest City Council has ruled higher fines for freelance taxidrivers
who fail to mention the name of the company tOey work for or do not turn
the meter on. Some say the fines are too high while others believe the
fines are too low as they expect the Bucharest traffic will get legal and
more civilised. Taxidrivers trade unions believe the new fines are too high
for them, and too low for the taxidrivers working on the black market. They
threat to carry out big protests early next month. RADOR
[06] CSAT decision allowing Romania to participate in OSCE monitoring of
Kosovo
At a meeting on October 25, Romania's Supreme Council for Defence (CSAT)
has unanimously decided to allow Romania participate in the OSCE monitoring
mission to Kosovo. The number of observers is still to be negotiatied at
talks between the Romanian foreign minister and OSCE offcicials. President
Emil Constantinescu has announced that CSAT has also decided to send a AN-
30 search-plane with crew and equipments on bord to carry out the aerial
monitoring of the Yugoslav province. He said that Romanian Foreign Minister
Andrei PlesuOhas provided details concerning the UN Security Council
Reolution 1203 approving the agreements already signed between Yugoslavia,
the OSCE and NATO. Romania's defence minister has presented the CSAT with a
report concerning the NATO appeal to the Partnership for Peace countries to
consider a contribution of non-combat planes to the aerial monitoring
mission to Kosovo. RADOR
[07] Romanian Senate speaker Petre Roman is back from Vienna
The speaker of the Romanian Senate, Petre Roman, was back from Vienna on
Sunday after attending the meeting of parliamentary speakers in the Central
European Initiative (CEI) member states seeking ways to fight organised
crime. After arriving in Bucharest, Mr Roman said the debates focused
mainly on ways to approximate the existing legislation innthe field and the
need of closer cooperation between the member states in preventing and
fighting such threats. The meeting also concentrated on recent developments
in Kosovo and Dnestria as well as the NATO enlargement. RADOR
[08] Romanian-French military cooperation agreement
At a cermony in Bucharest on Sunday, Romanian Defence Minister Victor
Babiuc and his French counterpart Alain Richard have signed an
intergovernment agreement of military cooperation. Minister Babiuc has
announced that French officers were expected to work with Romania's
National Defence Ministry (MApR) as advisers for the reform and
modernisation process of the Romanian Army. In his turn, the French
minister has praised Romania for its role in securing the stability in
South-Eastern Europe. Referring to the conflict in Kosovo, minister Alain
Richard has reiterated his country's position in support of a European
solution to include as well the Russian point of view. RADOR
[09] Tandarica Theatre - host of Puppet International Festival
After 33 years, Bucharest is hosting again the Puppet International
Festival - a major theatrical event. Organised by the Tandarica Theatre,
this year's edition is dedicated Oo the avant-garde trends of an art
believed to exclusively address the children. Critics and puppeteers are
expected to discuss the future of the puppet theatre in a symposium at the
end of the festival. Tandarica Theatre is one of the founders of the
International Union of Puppeteers created in Prague in 1929. RADOR
[10] "Craiova Days"
Writer Nicolae Manolescu was awarded the Grand Prix of the "Craiova Days"
on Sunday. "At the Bats" - an outstanding work by Marin Sorescu - was
awarded the Prize for Literature. The Romanian Broadcasting Corporation
(SRR) was awarded a honorary diploma for its 70 years of coverage of major
political and economic events. The first Romanian radiobroadcast was
released in Craiova 70 years ago. RADOR
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