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RADOR: News from Romania, 00-01-05
5 January, 2000
CONTENTS
[01] President Constantinescu's Visit to Israel
[02] Romanian President Suggested the Creation of a Strategic Alliance
Including Israel, Romania and Turkey
[03] Prime minister Mugur Isarescu Is to Appoint His Team of Counsellors
[04] Press Communique Released by Education Minister Andrei Marga
[05] A New Issue of Treasury Bonds
[06] PETROM Is Preparing for Privatization
[07] The Draft Budget for Education for 2000 Will Be Discussed with the
Trade Unions
[08] The Workers at RAFO Onesti Call for the Refinery Restarting
[09] No Personnel Reduction This Year, at CNL Oltenia
[01] President Constantinescu's Visit to Israel
Tuesday morning Romanian president Emil Constantinescu held talks with the
Israeli vice-prime minister Yitzhak Mordechai, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI
informs. The main issues tackled concerned antisemitism and the bilateral
economic, political and military cooperation. The Romanian president also
met Shimon Peres, the Israeli minister in charge with regional cooperation.
Emil Constantinescu approached the issue of the peace process in the Middle
East and of the multilateral negotiations, in which Romania is directly
interested as member of the OSCE troika and future president of this
Organization.
Tuesday afternnon the Romanian head of state visited the Knesseth and held
talks with its chairman. Avraham Burg reminded the fact that Romania was
the only country in the former Communist bloc that had maintained relations
with Israel after the six days war and had allowed the passage of the Jews
from former USSR to Israel, but reminded also that Jewish properties had
been nationalized by the Communist regime and no compensations were payed.
In president Constantinescu's opinion, this problem should be solved in the
general framework of the restitution of confiscated assets. In the evening,
president Emil Constantinescu met the Israeli journalist writing for
newspapers and magazines published in Romanian. RADOR
[02] Romanian President Suggested the Creation of a Strategic Alliance
Including Israel, Romania and Turkey
Romanian president Emil Constantinescu met on Tuesday morning vice-prime
minister Yitzhak Mordechai, RADIO KOL ISRAEL reports. During the meeting,
the Romanian head of state suggested the creation of a strategic alliance
including Israel, Romania and Turkey, as well as the intensification of the
political and economic cooperation among these three countries. RADOR
[03] Prime minister Mugur Isarescu Is to Appoint His Team of Counsellors
In the next few days, prime minister Mugur Isarescu is to appoint his team
of counsellors and the Government's spokesperson. Isarescu will replace all
the 20 counsellors of former prime minister Radu Vasile, except Victor
Chiujdea, counsellor for foreign affairs. According to Governmental sources,
the new team will include Lucian Croitoru, counsellor to the National Bank
governor, Adrian Vasilescu, communications manager in the National Bank,
and Sebastian Vladescu, counsellor to the Finance Ministry. The TV station
ANTENA 1 alleges prime minister Isarescu might also appoint as counsellors
the journalist Ionut Popescu and Nicolae Staiculescu, secretary of state in
the Industry Munistry, who might be replaced by Cristian Eugen Isbasoiu, at
present secretary of state in the Education Ministry. RADOR
[04] Press Communique Released by Education Minister Andrei Marga
In 2000, the National Education Ministry intends to implement a set of
measures meant to make the Romanian education system compatible with the
European standards - mentions a press communique released by minister
Andrei Marga and quoted by RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI. The financial
resources for the reform in education will come from the state budget and
the local budgets, the special fund for education, the special fund for
libraries, the own incomes of schools and universities, the national and
international programs, grants, donations and sponsorships. The number of
exams and the number of compulsory hours of study will be reduced, and the
young specialists with outstanding results during their studies abroad who
are returning home will be supported, in order to increase the education
performances. Special programs for gipsies will be implemented, and the
programs meant to repair schools in the country-side will continue. RADOR
[05] A New Issue of Treasury Bonds
A new issue of treasury bonds for 90 days with an interest of 59% per year
is sold to the populations since Tuesday. The selling will close on January
21, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI adds. The bonds will be rebought from the
population in the interval April 3-20. RADOR
[06] PETROM Is Preparing for Privatization
The National Oil Company PETROM is preparing for privatization, the TV
station ANTENA 1 informs. PETROM will be privatized in three stages. For
the beginning, the capital will increase by selling 35% of the shares to a
private consortium, till the end of this month. During the second stage
stage PETROM will be included in the transactions on the Bucharest stock
market. During the third, the National Oil Company will be included in the
transactions on an international stock market. PETROM being a strategic
company, the state wants to maintain its control and the right to veto. At
present PETROM has an estimated capital of over 1 million dollars, but
officials from the company say its market potential is very big, and the
capital increase might bring the state several hundred million dollars.
RADOR
[07] The Draft Budget for Education for 2000 Will Be Discussed with the
Trade Unions
The finance director in the National Education Ministry will discuss the
draft budget for education for 2000 with the leaders of the main trade
unions federation, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI informs. The leader of the
Free Trade Unions Federation in Education, Aurel Cornea, said on Tuesday
the trade unions had not been asked when the draft for this year had been
drawn up. He added the salaries had not increased since September 1998, and
that, should they not increase by at least 1.2 million lei, a labour
conflict would start. RADOR
[08] The Workers at RAFO Onesti Call for the Refinery Restarting
Over 1,500 employees called on Tuesday for the restarting of the RAFO
refinery. According to the TV station ANTENA 1, they are decided to
continue their protest, and even to resort to extreme actions, such as
blocking the roads. The trade union members asked for the observance of the
labour contract, the cessation of firings, and the restarting of the
refinery by January 15. RADOR
[09] No Personnel Reduction This Year, at CNL Oltenia
The trade union leader Marin Condescu said no personnel reduction would be
made this year in the National Lignite Exploitations from Oltenia. A
possible salary increase will be discussed on Wednesday with the company
managers, According to RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, the miners in Oltenia
have concluded a new labour contract, adapted to the laws in force, and
providing for the ways to start and solve the labour conflicts. RADOR
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