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RADOR: News from Romania, 00-05-03
May 3, 2000
CONTENTS
[01] Presidential Decree;
[02] "Local Elections 2000" - Recommendations of the Central Electoral
Bureau;
[03] Students Are Taking Minister Traian Basescu to Court;
[04] Mugur Isarescu - Emanuel Zervoudakis Negotiations;
[05] Finnish Prime Minister to Visit Romania;
[06] "Linked Seas 2000" Multinational Training Exercise;
[07] According to the US, Romania's Custom Duties Are Too High;
[08] Strike at Cernavoda;
[09] Meeting at the Romanian Press Club.
[01] Presidentual decree
According to a presidential communique issued to the press, Romanian
President Emil Constantinescu has signed on Tuesday the decree promulgating
the law completing the additional document #2 to the Law 27/1994 on local
duties and taxes. The document includes the list of buildings and
contructions free of charge along with temporary authorised or accredited
buildings and land for schools and universities. RADOR
[02] "Local Elections 2000" - recommendations of the Central Electoral
Bureau
The Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) suggests that the counsellor elected as
deputy mayor should submit the affidavit concerning his alleged membership
or non-membership in the former Securitate only after the local counsellor
elections were validated. Such recommendations were made to county
electoral offices across the country. A person is allowed to run
simultaneously for the position of mayor, local counsellor or county
councellor within the same county constituency. Political parties,
electoral alliances and independent candidates may still submit their
candidacies as mayors or local or county counsellors to the electoral
offices of their constituencies by May 5. The electoral offices of the
constituencies should be completed by May 9. Citizens, political parties or
electoral alliances may denounce the candidacies to the electoral offices
of their constituency by May 11. There are still 33 days until local
elections on June 4. RADOR
[03] Students are taking minister Traian Basescu to court
The leader of the Mational Association of the Student Organisations in
Romania, Daniel Gandu, said the students were about to take Transport
Minister Traian Basescu to court as he suspended the cut-price railway
tickets he approved on the occasion of the Easter celebrations. The leader
accuses the transport minister of violating the Eduaction Law. He added he
also intended to present the Council of Europe with a complaint on the
matter. RADOR
[04] Mugur Isarescu - Emanuel Zervoudakis negotiations
Romania's negotiations with the IMF resumed on Tuesday when Prime Minister
Mugur Isarescu met Emanuel Zervoudakis, the IMF chief negotiator for
Romania. The meeting was aimed at clarifying the last details of the report
concerning the progress of Romania in its attempt to meet the IMF
conditions as stipulated in the agreement signed between the two parties.
The government spokesman said Mr Zervoudakis would like to take a detailed
report to Washington. He also added that 20 of the 25 criteria in the
agreement with the IMF were already reached. The remaining five conditions
include such delicate issues as the budget-paid salaries within the GDP,
and the situation of the loss-making state-owned companies. RADOR
[05] Finnish prime minister to visit Romania
Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lippnen is to arrive in Bucharest today for an
official visit. He is expected to meet Romanian President Emil
Constantinescu, and then have talks with Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu and
Foreign Minister Petre Roman. Finland ensured the EU presidency until
January 1, 2000. RADOR
[06] "Linked Seas 2000" multinational training exercise
The multinational "Linked Seas 2000" military training exercise has started
in Portugal on Tuesday. A 89-troop Romanian unit is also participating.
Participants also include 35000 officers of NATO member and partner states.
The Romanian officers and senior officers are to be part of the command
structures, marines, infantry, and special teams. The Romanian
participation is sponsored by the USArmy while the Romania's National
Defence Ministry (MApN) is covering the fees for the military. RADOR
[07] According to the US, Romania's custom duties are too high
The US are to present the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with a complaint
about their existing trade disputes with six countries, Romania included.
As the American trade representative announced in Washington on Monday,
Romania is accused of imposing unjustified high custom duties to products
such ready-made clothes, chicken and some spirits. The other five countries
include Brazil, Argentina, the Philippines, India and Denmark. The US have
also warned Japan, South Korea and Mexico that they would face similar
measures in case they would not open their markets. According to a
communique issued by the Romanian Trade and Industry Ministry, "Romania is
only complying with the rules established by the WTO on the matter, and the
US complaint about Romania's custom duties policy would only emphasize the
country's progress in fighting custom fraud. RADOR
[08] Strike at Cernavoda
Romanian Labour Minister Smaranda Dobrescu expressed the hope that trade
unionists on strike in the Danube city of Cernavoda would not put their
warning into force and stop the nuclear reactor at the nuclear plant on
river Danube as such action included technological dangers and high costs.
Protesters are demanding higher wages and improved working conditions. The
labour minister warned that any raise in the wages would affect the prices.
She also mentioned that the parties involved in the conflict were invited
to talks within the Economic and Social Council. RADOR
[09] Meeting at the Romanian Press Club
On the occasion of the International Day of the Freedom of the Press, the
Romanian Press Club (CRP) organised a meeting on Tuesday with party leaders
and senior deputies in the Romanian Parliament. CRP president Dumitru Tinu
pointed out the discontent the journalists proved towards the recent draft
law on journalism, signed by 75 MPs. The chief commissioner for art,
culture and media in parliament, Eugen Vasiliu, underlined that no draft
law would be considered without previous consultations with the CRP. CRP
representatives and MPs are to set up a joint group aimed at drawing up
draft laws on media issues. The vicepresident of the Democratic Party,
Alexandru Sassu, made the proposal following the negative reactions of CRP
board represented by Dumitru Tinu, Horia Alexandrescu, Cornel Nistorescu
and Sorin Rosca Stanescu. RADOR
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