What the newspapers say: September 17, 2010 

All newspapers on Friday read about the release of media mogul and businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vantu. Another newspaper notes Vantu’s principles regarding Romania’s modernization process. In Bucharest, there are only 450,000 parking lots for 1.3 million cars, find out who earns off them. In Europe, there’s an open conflict in the EU on the issue of Romanian gypsie expulsion from France.

Gandul reads about the release of media mogul and businessman Sorin Ovidiu Vantu. The Court decided to release Vantu’s drive, Alex Stoian and Octavian Turcan, a Moldovan businessman and a close friend of Vantu. The three were accused of favoring the fugitive Nicolae Popa, sentenced to 15 years of prison in the FNI file, leaving thousands of hundred without their life savings.

However, judges released them on certain terms: the three are not allowed to leave the country and must be available to meet prosecutors or police officers whenever they are called to do so; they need to inform authorities if they change their location; they are not allowed to carry a gun and they are not allowed to contact each other nor fugitive Nicolae Popa or his brother Virgil Popa.

On the other hand, Evenimentul Zilei reads how, presumably, Sorin Ovidiu Vantu sees Romania’s modernization. The newspaper identified the set of principles that the media mogul militated for through his deeds in the recent years.

The principles put forward:

1. a President that can be controlled: for Vantu, a president needs to be modern, which means to be controllable.

The newspaper reads that he tried to do this with President Basescu but it did not work out.

2. Control the Romanian Intelligence Service – Vantu planned the modernization of the institution – when Radu Timofte was installed as director in 2001, it was because Vantu also had a say.

But President Basescu changed Timofte in 2006 with George Maior, despite what Vantu thought.

3. replace General Prosecutor Codruta Kovesi

The newspaper reads that Vantu had a promise from Geoana but it did not work out.

4. Finance ministry – Vantu insisted to have Vosganian as Finance minister

While Vosganian was minister, Vantu gained a VAT return of 62 million euro.

5. the control of the CEC – he had an interest because it was about to be capitalized by 900 million euro.

6. taking over the postal service – it is important for patrimony and as communications network

7. modernization of the Danube Delta – Vantu’s interests in the area started when Liviu Mihaiu, a lose friend of Vantu was named governor of the Delta

8. manipulation of unions – a key political influence for Vantu, according to the newspaper.

9. interests for Hidroelectrica – Vantu wanted to get in the energy business for money.

In Bucharest, there are only 450,000 parking lots for 1.3 million cars, Romania libera reads. Therefore, companies that pick up cars that are parked illegally make wealth off the back of the citizen.

Because there are insufficient parking lots, victims are easy to be found. There are five companies that pick up illegally parked cars and they all cashed in since 2009 until this month at least 10 million euro.

Of this, only one company offers Bucharest district 1 20% of its revenues but the other companies have no such rule in their contracts. In District 6, the company cashed in about 3 million euro: 1.82 million euro in 2009 for 14,573 picked up cars and 1.1 million euro in 2010 for 8,734 picked up cars.

Even so, the city hall district offers only 40,000 parking lots for its citizens. In district 1, CFR Transauto cashed in 2,85 million euro: 1.4 million euro in 2009 for 6,411 picked up cars and 1,45 million euro in 2010 for 6,720 picked up cars.

In Europe, there is an open conflict on France’s expulsion campaign against gypsies, Evenimentul Zilei reads. The clashes between officials are unprecedented. The EU Summit was taken over by this issue altogether, but by the end of the Summit, France declared that it will continue to close illegal camps and repatriate gypsies while the Commission will make sure that France will monitor the freedom of movement principle.

EU Commission President declared that he has heard exaggerated comments and explained that even Reding admitted it but others should consider following her example. He underlined that discrimination on ethnic grounds is still unacceptable and the EU Executive has a duty to guard the Treaty, referring to Reding’s announcement that the Commission might initiate an infringement procedure against France.