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RADOR: News from Romania, 00-01-18
18 January, 2000
CONTENTS
[01] Ion Ratiu Died
[02] Meeting of the Leading, Coordination and Control Bureau of PNTCD
[03] Statements Made During a Press Conference in Roman
[04] The Government Will Finalize the Draft Budget for This Year by the End
of the Month
[05] Opinions Expressed by the Experts of "Price Waterhouse Cooper"
[06] Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu Met the Canadian Minister of Public
Works and Governmental Services
[07] Opinions Expressed by the Spokesman of the European Commission
President
[08] Negotiations Between Government and Trade Union Representatives
[09] Main Objectives of the National Agency for Children Protection
[10] Possible Enquiry on the Effects of Vergil Hancu's Allegations
[01] Ion Ratiu Died
Ion Ratiu, PNTCD representative in the Chamber of Deputies, died in London
from oesophagus cancer, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI informs. Born in Turda in
1917, he studied law and economic sciences at the universities of Cluj,
Munchen and Cambridge. Ion Ratiu, known as diplomat, journalist and
president of the Cultural Association of Romanians in Great Britain,
returned to Romania immediately after December 1989 and acted on the
political arena. As member of Parliament, he was vice-chairman of the
Chamber of Deputies and head of the Romanian Parliamentary delegation to
the North Atlantic Assembly. Ion Ratiu's son, Nicolae said his father's
body would be sent to Romania and burried in Turda. RADOR
[02] Meeting of the Leading, Coordination and Control Bureau of PNTCD
The Leading, Coordination and Control Bureau (BCCC) of the National
Peasants Christian-Democratic Party met on Monday afternoon and decided to
hold elections for all BCCC members during the meeting of the Standing
Delegation, summoned for the end of this month. At the end of the meeting,
the party leader Ion Diaconescu said the new Bureau would have mandate
until the Congress, to be summoned at the end of the year, after the
general elections.
During the same meeting, the Bureau members also decided the agenda of the
Standing Delegation, namely the passing of the new party rules, the
political strategy in view of the local and general elections and the
elections for BCCC.
Virgil Petrescu, quoted by RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, said BCCC decided to
exclude Marin Lutu from the party, in case he did not resign this week.
RADOR
[03] Statements Made During a Press Conference in Roman
The PD leader Petre Roman said there were in Moldavia some areas
characterized by unacceptable economic and social gaps, reprezenting
breaches in the national cohesion. PD vice-president Traian Basescu said
the program RICOP regarding the creation of small and medium-sized
enterprises was implemented in the county of Neamt, its result being a
significant number of jobs, on condition the local businessmen put forward
feasible projects, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI reports. RADOR
[04] The Government Will Finalize the Draft Budget for This Year by the End
of the Month
The Cabinet would finalize the draft budget for this year by the end of the
month, the Governmental counsellor for image said, adding the budget would
be a rational one, and not based upon promisses with no backing in the
economic realities. According to RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, the measures
taken against the arbitrary granting of facilities - which bring about
corruption and instability of investments - would contribute to the
creation of a correct tax system, equally applied to all economic actors,
and leaving no place for interpretations. RADOR
[05] Opinions Expressed by the Experts of "Price Waterhouse Cooper"
The experts of the world leader in financial audit "Price Waterhouse
Cooper" said during a conference in Bucharest clear methodological methods
for the operational application of the new tax measures should be urgently
drawn up. The implementation of the global tax and the changes in the level
of the added value tax would influence the purchasing ability of the
population, while the changes in the laws regarding taxes on profit would
have a major impact both on the already existing companies and on the
potential investors - the head of the company's Tax Expertise Department
said, quoted by RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI. RADOR
[06] Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu Met the Canadian Minister of Public
Works and Governmental Services
Romania is interested to continue developing the economic cooperation with
Canada - said prime minister Mugur Isarescu during his meeting with Alfonso
Galiano, Canadian minister of public works and governmental services. In
this context, he reminded the memorandum signed on Monday regarding the
bilateral cooperation in house and public utilities building. A press
release quoted by RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI mentions the National Housing
Agency benefits from assistance from the Canadian Housing Corporation. Mr.
Galiano also underlined the importance of the bilateral cooperation and
extended the Canadian prime minister's best regards and encouragements to
his Romanian counterpart. RADOR
[07] Opinions Expressed by the Spokesman of the European Commission
President
The visit recently payed to Bucharest and Sofia by the European Commission
president Romano Prodi was meant to be a signal of the EU and EC
appreciation for the efforts made by Romania and Bulgaria to join the
European Union - said Ricardo Levi, spokesman of the European Commission
president. He added, quoted by RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, the European
Union was encouraged by the wide support from the governments, political
parties and civil society in both Romania and Bulgaria. As for the visa
issue, Levi said the final decision would be taken by all members of the
Union, that is by the Council of Europe. Ricardo Levi also said Romania and
Bulgaria should reassure the European public opinion their citizens no
longer needed visas because all problems had been solved, and because such
a decision would be to the interest of European security. RADOR
[08] Negotiations Between Government and Trade Union Representatives
The leaders of the "Solidarity" convention of trade unions in railroads
said, at th end of the talks with the Government representatives, an
unprecedented total strike might be called should the Cabinet not solve
their requests. RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI reports the main requests are an
urgent conclusion of a new collective labour contract and an increse in
salaries by 50% starting with January 1 this year. During another meeting
between representatives of trade unions in education and state minister
Mircea Ciumara, the parts decided to resume the talks the next day and next
week as well. One of the trade union leaders, Razvan Bobulescu, expressed
his disappointment with the result of the meeting, and said trade unions in
education were solidary and decided to continue their protests. RADOR
[09] Main Objectives of the National Agency for Children Protection
Vlad Mihai Romano, president of the National Agency for Children Protection,
said his main objectives would be descentralization and the development of
a protection system for all children alike. Romano also said, quoted by
RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI, he would first try to find a suitable shelter
for homeless children. RADOR
[10] Possible Enquiry on the Effects of Vergil Hancu's Allegations
The Commission for Abuses of the Chamber of Deputies might start an enquiry
on the effects of Vergil Hancu'a allegations concerning the imminence of a
devastating earthquake in Romania, RADIO ROMANIA ACTUALITATI reports.
According to a communique released by the Commission chairman, the decision
to start an enquiry is justified by the fact that Vergil Hancu made use of
functions and titles which are nor recognized by the authorities and
specialists in the field, and by the fact that his so-called previsions
induced fear and even panic in the population. The communique also says all
citizens who suffered physically, morally or materially as a result of
Hancu's irresponsible allegations could revert to the Commission. On the
other hand, in a communique released by the Seismic Laboratory at
Vrancioaia, the specialists call the public's attention on the need to
properly judge the information and rumours regarding earthquakes. RADOR
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