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RADOR: News from Romania, 98-11-16
November 16, 1998
CONTENTS
[01] "After Mobilising Statements, It's Time for Reform Measures", Ion
Diaconescu says;
[02] Prime Minister Radu Vasile's Call for Political Support of Reform Is a
"Nonsense", PDSR Vicepresident Hildegard Puwak Believes;
[03] Petre Roman Would Like to Stay Aloof from the Megapower Affair;
[04] March and Protest Rally in Brasov;
[05] PDSR Message on the Occasion of the 1987 Unrest in Brasov;
[06] President Emil Constantinescu Is Back from Madrid;
[07] Alexandru Herlea - Vicepresident of the Christian Democrat
International;
[08] Good Relations Between Romania and the US.
[01] "After mobilising statements, it's time for reform measures", Ion
Diaconescu says
The president of the ruling Christian Democrat National Peasant Party
(PNTCD), Ion Diaconescu, believes the situation of the country's economy is
difficult, but not as dramatic as the Democrat Traian Basescu says. Mr
Diaconsecu said that, afer mobilising statements, it was time for reform
measures. The PNTCD leader says the accusations made by the Democratic
Party (PD) are unfounded as long as the Democrats are government members.
As far as the reform measures are concerned,, he believes he has every
reason to show optimism. He warned however that the Radu Vasile Cabinet
should take emergency measures and let facts speeak for themselves. In a
statement on Saturday, PD vicepresident Traian Basescu said Romania was on
the verge of collapse and his party would force the government to make
quick decisions to prevent an impending economic crisis. Victor Ciorbea has
also mentioned the pressure made by the Democrats. The former prime
minister said Radu Vasile should act resolutely and fight the PD pressures.
He says in case PNTCD yields to PD pressures, the party's representation in
the government will count only a few state secretaries.
[02] Prime Minister Radu Vasile's call for political support of reform is a
"nonsense", PDSR vicepresident Hildegard Puwak believes
The vicepresident of the opposition Party of Social democracy in Romania
(PDSR), Hildegard Puwak said Prime Minister Radu Vasile's call for
political support of reform was a "nonsense" as long as his government has
"always disconsidered the voice of the Opposition". Mrs Puwak said in an
interview that her party was not against the closedown of loss-making
enterprises, unless it was unfounded and chaotic.
[03] Petre Roman would like to stay aloof from the Megapower affair
PD leader Petre Roman has reiterated his wish to stay aloof from the
failure of the Megapower company. The American company is now about to
close down. Mr Roman, at one time prime minister, has admitted that he
signed an order concerning the setting up of the Megapower joint venture,
but he denied any personal involvement with the affair.
[04] March and protest rally in Brasov
A march and a protest rally were reported in Brasov on Sunday to
commemorate 11 years since the workers' anticommunist unrest on November 15,
1987. At a meeting in the City Hall Plaza, participants have called on
parliament to adopt emergency laws and get the country out of its economic,
social and political crisis. The protesters have voiced the Romanians'
right to work and have a decent life. The setting up of the Romanian
National Alliance was announced as an association including NGOs, trade
unions and independent public personalities. The vicepresident of the
"November 15, 1987" Association, Gavrila Filichi, said a programme was soon
to be announced at the association's first congress planned in the very
next future. Participants in the rally in Brasov included representatives
of regional trade unions, Students League in Bucharest and other NGOs. The
protesters shouted anti-presidential and anti-government slogans and, as
some sources recall, it was for the first time when a protest rally against
the government in power was carried out as a tribute to the 1987 unrrest.
[05] PDSR message on the occasion of the 1987 unrest in Brasov
The PDSR has issued the message of the party's president, Ion Iliescu, on
the occasion of the 11-th anniversary of the 1987 anticommunist unrest in
Brasov. "November 15, 1987 was the beginning of the end of the Ceusescu
regime - a regime designed unexpectedly in support of the working class. It
was the first sign of a high conscience, the first organised attempt to
achieve the irreversible divorce between the workers and the government who
claimed to rule on their behalf. The courage and the determination of the
people in Brasov have later encouraged the workers in Timisoara on December
16-20, 1989 and those in Bucharest on December 21-22", the PDSR president's
message says. At the same time, Mr Iliescu is launching a fierce criticism
against the government pointing out that "the last two years actually meant
both the funerals of people's expectations of a better life and the
deterioration of all basic principles of economic and social development,
and the workers were the first victims of the economic nonsense known as
the choc therapy". Ion Iliescu says the rulers neglected the country's
needs and difficulties, they tried the people's patience to the limit, and
the governing programme and the government itself should both change.
[06] President Emil Constantinescu is back from Madrid
Romanian President Emil Constantinescu was back from Madrid on Sunday
evening after a visit to Spain following an invitation by Spanish Prime
Minister Jose Maria Aznar. The Romanian president has made a honorary
speech before participants in the Christian Democrat International
conference taking place in the Spanish capital. While at the Otopeni
Airport, the president said the visit was useful as it came at a time when
Spain was enforcing its economic growth and political position in the
world. Mr Constantinescu said his talks with the Spanish prime minister
focused on bilateral relations and they both have agreed to intensify the
economic relations between the two countries. "Prime Minister Aznar said an
important delegation of Spain's Chamber of Commerce should come to Romania
early next year and seek new possible investment and trade opportunities.
Then the prime minister himself is to visit Romania next year. In this
respect, I shall ask Prime Minister Radu Vasile to appoint a minister
dealing exclusively with our trade with Spain. Prime Minister Aznar has
expressed his commitment make the Romanian-Spanish relations become a
special partnership allowing an all-level development of our relations. As
far as the Christian Democrat International conference is concerned, I
believe that Romania is to benefit from the appointement of Mr Ramirez as
president of both the Christian Democrat International and NATO
Parliamentary Assembly as he is an old friend of mine and a friend of
Romania as well. I also believe that the appointment of Mr Herlea as
vicepresident of the International and representative of all the European
states outside the EU is a positive step. I would like to point out that,
when I mentioned Corneliu Coposu's name in my speech and paid a tribute to
his memory, the audience greeted it with applause bringing its tribute to a
personality of growing international fame, and I believe that the election
of Mr Herlea is one of Corneliu Coposu's post-mortem victories", President
Constantinescu concluded.
[07] Alexandru Herlea - vicepresident of the Christian Democrat
International
A PNTCD communique says that the Romanian Minister for European Integration,
Alexandru Herlea, the party's delegate to the 12-th General Assembly of the
Christian Democrat International taking place in Madrid between November 13-
15, was elected as vicepresident of the organisation. The communique
mentions it is for the first time when a delegate represnting a Central or
East-European country is becoming a member in the Political Bureau of the
Christian Democrat International. The election of Mr Herlea is due to the
party's political potential and international acclaim, the communique
concludes.
[08] Good relations between Romania and the US
While on visit to Bucharest, the president of the Sub-Commission for
European Affairs in the US Senate, Gordon Smith, said the progress Romania
achieved in promoting religious freedom could ensure the good relations
between Romania and the US. The American senator said the nations should
share a series of similar values if they wanted to ally and live in peace.
He believes that, if we wnat to encourage trade and defend each other, we
should share the same basic ideals, mainly the human rights in general and
the freedom of conscience in particular.
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