What the newspapers say: May 18, 2010

Pressured by the unions, Romania’s Government is about to change in the intention letter to be addressed to the IMF. Elsewhere in the news, Euro is crashing: what is happening to Romanians? Last but not least, Romanian international Olympic sells ice cream to pay for tutoring.

Pressured by the unions, the Romanian Government is about to change in the intention letter to be addressed to the IMF, Adevarul reads. Romanian politicians do not exclude a new IMF visit. The Romanian Economic Social Council (CES) sent a letter to the Government yesterday, asking for amendments to the austerity measures already announced by the chief of state.

CES failed to pass a favourable notice on the existent intention letter. After two hours of debates, representatives of unions, patronages and Government agreed to send a letter to the Executive, asking the Boc Cabinet to elaborate a new letter for the IMF, whose content should previously be discussed with the social partners.

This might bring the IMF back to Romania, after their visit has just concluded, depending on how much the letter will be altered. Romanian representative at the IMF Mihai Tanasescu said they were waiting for Romania’s decision before deciding the next move. Union leaders confirmed the negotiations with the Fund will resume if the Government is not going to rush to enforce the measures already written down.

The austerity measures announced by Basescu on May 6 will not make it to the Executive’s debate forum this week either. The PM Councillor says the Government wants the consent of the unions and patronages on the intention letter. According to her, they still have one week.

Euro is crashing: what is happening to Romanians?, Romania Libera asks. According to the paper, the euro has not been this weak in four years, when it almost equalled the dollar. The Romanian national currency, namely the leu, is losing ground to the euro as well: 4.1878 lei for one euro, the worst exchange rate since January 5. One euro costs 1.2234 dollars.

European and Romanian exporters supplying markets outside the EU gain, as well investors who placed their bets on the American currency. On the other hand, the European Central Bank is losing confidence. It announced it will take part in rescuing states with high deficits by buying bonds.

Importers with goods priced in dollars lose out, especially those involved in the oil and energy businesses. It also makes the life difficult for individuals and companies that need to pay up dollar credits. On the other hand, the list of those who can make an extra buck on this occasion includes, besides exporters to markets outside the EU, the investors with portfolios or deposits in dollars.

Romanian international Olympic Letitia Tudorin sells ice cream to pay for tutoring, Gandul informs. She’s 19, 12th grader, competed against hundreds of students in Europe at the international Latin competition in Arpino, Italy and has got three awards from national Olympics. While her classmates are clubbing, she translates Caesar or Cicero. Her performance „won” from the state 50 and 75 lei. She’s earning money to buy her books by spending summers selling ice cream and doughnuts.

Letitia lives in one bedroom flat with her brother and parents. She became a national asset last year, when she was included in the national team and competed against 500 others in a European contest in Arpino, Cicero’s home. Certamen Ciceronianum Arpinas is la crème de la crème of international Latin contests for students. The rule is strict: you can only take part once. Five hours of tests, without breaks, translating and commenting Cicero. She never took part in a contest without winning something.

Her space is half a room, or half a kitchen. If the table is busy, she writes on her knees. The computer table is too small. This is the way she studied for all Olympics. No holidays, except selling ice cream at the seaside to pay for her English tutoring or to buy books and help her parents. One is jobless, one is retired.

She does not plan to study Latin at Uni, where she would get a place without any additional test. She wants to study a foreign language, for which she has to pass an exam. Latin is to be studied „out of fondness, for its mystery”, she says.