What the newspapers say: October 25, 2010 

A new political force gains ground in Romania: the unions who act as a political entity. Elsewhere in the news, of the 2 million Romanians who work abroad, 2,000 are directors. The IMF agrees to increase the minimum salary to 650 lei in 2011 or even higher. Bon Jovi, Green Day, Lady Gaga and Radiohead might perform in Romania in 2011.

Evenimentul Zilei reads on Monday about a new political entity that gains more and more ground in Romania, namely the unions and more specifically, union leaders who beyond the interest of the workers they represent also have personal interests.

The opposition plans to overthrow the government with a motion of censure and about 80,000 people in the streets. The force of the unions, to mobilize people on the streets is meant to pressure political institutions.

The newspaper reads that union leaders are moguls, who manage to see their own interest in the whole business: if they know support the motion, after elections they sprang out in the Parliament as deputies and senators.

The newspaper offers enough examples of union leaders who have many proven personal interests. Their cumulated wealths were always a taboo subject and they always benefited of a protection from the politicians who managed to block any initiative to compel them to declare their fortunes.

Gandul reads that of the 2 million Romanians working abroad, 2,000 are directors. Another 50,000 are specialists, from doctors, engineers to IT experts and accountants. Currently, about 2,000 Romanians have leading positions abroad, according to estimates of the weekly Business Magazin quoted by the newspaper.

Another 20,000 are interns, Romanian expats who specialize, working in companies abroad. Romania exported a consistent number of specialists, not only unqualified workers. Of the 2,000 Romanians working in leading positions, they left the country from a better position to an even better one.

Most of them were promoted in corporations which meant higher responsibilities and salaries. Among most known Romanian managers working abroad is Cristian Negrescu, senior director at Kraft Foods, Simona Popovici future rewards director at Coca Cola Hellenic starting January 1, 2011 and Marius Persinaru, chief operating officer at XEROX for developing countries.

The IMF agrees with an increase of the minimum salary to 650 lei in 2011, or even higher, UGIR – 1903 union leader Cezar Coraci declared after a meeting with the IMF on Friday, Romania libera reads.

The IMF agrees, the problem is whether the government will have the capacity to pay the salaries, he said. Coraci declared that unions can afford to increase the minimum sary in the private sector to 650 lei but it is uncertain whether they can sustain a higher increase.

Romania libera reads that rumors announce that next year will be full of concerts, but most of them depend on finishing works at the National Stadium, news television Realitatea.net reads.

In 2010 Romanians enjoyed legendary bands like Aerosmith, AC/DC, Metallica, Rammstein, Megadeth, Anathema, Manowar, Iron Maiden, Faithless or Guns N’Roses but 2011 will be not less spectacular.

Prince might perform for the first time in Romania, Bon Jovi is announced in June and rumors even talk about a possible gig of Lady Gaga, Radiohead, Muse or Green Day.