What the newspapers say: April 20, 2010

The Democrat Liberal government is pressured by President Basescu to lay off the necessary budgetary personnel, which they failed to do back in 2009, one newspaper reads on Tuesday. Elsewhere in the news, the government plans to renegociate the IMF agreement. The Social Democrats have debts of 8 million euro after the Presidential elections. Romanian cities can become European Capital of Culture in 11 years – and that can happen only if preparations start immediately.

President Basescu called the government to talks about the government’s lack of lay offs from the budgetary sector, Gandul reads. The discussion will be aired live. PM Boc’s counselor, Andreea Vass declared that 75,000 people need to be laid off from the budgetary personnel. Independent Gabriel Oprea declared that he is against the new pensions law which decreases the pensions of all social categories.

According to the official agenda, consultations will focus on cutting public and social spending, and also new ways of attracting structural EU funds. In other words, the paper reads, the main concern of the government is not to lay off the necessary personnel.

Gandul reads about the plans of the government to renegociate the IMF agreement. Transports minister declared that next week, he will urged the IMF to allow Romania a higher budgetary deficit.

Officials declared that they will talk with the IMF representatives, in an attempt to increase the budgetary deficit by 1 or 2 percentage points. Transports Minister Berceanu said that he will underlined that these points will be used for investment projects.

In other words, the government plans to increase the difference between revenues and spending of the state to about 8% of GDP from 5.9% currently. Romanian representative to the IMF, Mihai Tanasescu avoided an answer when prompted by the newspaper whether the IMF will agree to this proposal.

Elsewhere in the news, Evenimentul Zilei reveals that the Social Democrats have to pay 8 million euro in debts, a sum four times higher than known in the press. The debts after losing Presidential elections are very high.

The 8 million euro represent only the debt on paper, which can add up to other investments of various creditors, whose hopes were cheated by Geoana’s failure. The newspaper refers to various media moguls and other generous businessmen.

The situation seems to be a little worse than before, according to Social Democrat Aristide Roibu, in charge with the party’s finances. He said that the party always had important debts. After he received the bills, the Social Democratic leader, Victor Ponta informed his colleagues about the measures he envisages to deal with them.

He declared that he will cut spending within the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party and he urged local organizations to contribute with 5000 each month.

Cotidianul quotes Constantin Chiriac, director of Sibiu’s Theatre, saying that Romanian cities should start preparing as soon as possible if they want to apply for European Capital of Culture program of the EU.

He explained that the EU will decide which cities will bare this title in 2013 but by then Romania needs to participate with as many cities as possible, to ensure that it has a chance.