What the newspapers say: March 3, 2010

Romania’s most important politician, Ion Iliescu celebrates his 80th birthday today. Dacia launched its new jeep model, Duster at Geneva as newspapers remind citizens of the first Dacia models. The Parliament voted the new statute of public servants who rule that chiefs of decentralized services are public servants. EU might support the South Stream project, one newspaper reads.

Evenimentul Zilei reads about the 80th anniversary of the oldest and most important politician on the Romanian political scene after the Communist revolution, Ion Iliescu. The former President influenced the lives and development of the Romanians and the country alike.

One can say many things about Iliescu and not all are in the past. Iliescu is still part of the Social Democratic Party, where his opinion is strongly wanted. The newspaper reads about the top 5 good deeds Iliescu made along the years.

In 2000, Iliescu sustained Romania’s integration in the NATO structures, especially after September 11. In 2004, at the end of his last mandate as President, Romanian joined the EU. Even though the merits belong to the Nastase government, Iliescu’s contribution cannot be neglected. He supported this project with all constitutional measures he had at his disposal.

The first democratic power transfer in the post-revolutionary period took place in 1996 when Iliescu left his function and Constantinescu became President. Along the years, Iliescu had the image of a poor and honest man. However, he tolerated the corruption that took over the state’s institutions.

The top five bad deeds are the accusations against him for all the deaths in the revolution. Moreover, Iliescu thanked the miners for their outbreak in 1990 and 1991 for their civic conscience. Under the pretext of a national union, Iliescu attempted to enforce the idea that the second rank people from the Communist regime are able to save Romania.

Elsewhere in the news, Gandul reads about Dacia’s new model, Duster, which it presented in Geneva. The new model is not very cheap, but it’s not expensive, either. An Indian car dealer declared yesterday that people will fight over the car for sure.

Former PM Tariceanu declared that he would definitely buy one. President Basescu was more convinced and even ordered one. The Presidential Administration ordered a new Duster model and the car will arrive somewhere between April 8-12. The same sources declared that the President insisted that the car should be red.

Dacia director Constantin Stroe declared that the new model is the best product made in Romania. The quality – performance – price rapport is unbeatable. Stroe said that abroad, the car will be well received.

Stroe said that it is for the first time when Dacia does not come with Renault at Geneva, which is a clear sign that the Dacia brand evolved. The new car is among most discussed novelties at Geneva and sales started to increase after the official presentation.

Elsewhere in the news, Gandul reads about the decision of the Chamber of Deputies to vote the new public servants statute. The new law foresees that chiefs of decentralized services will be considered public servants. With this law, the Boc government saved their chiefs of decentralized services, initially named with two ordinances which have been declared unconstitutional.

In other words, 4000 people will be able to maintain their mandate. Chiefs of decentralized services did not have the right of signature as of this Monday. Saturday, February 27, the 45 days deadline to respect the law expired. The chaos was so big that each minister attempted to resolve the issue with more or less success.

Finance ministry sent a fax in the territory announcing all chiefs of decentralized services that they are laid off due to the unconstitutionality of the ordinance that named them in the functions. Several hours later, the same people received the orders ending their management contracts, doubled by those naming their replacements.

However, on Saturday morning, Vladescu changed his mind and sent a confidential press release on Sunday to recall his previous decision. Most probably, experts say, that Vladescu’s staff realized that they cannot end the management contracts overnight.

Evenimentul Zilei reads that even if Nabucco remains a priority for the EU, the 27 member states might sustain, in certain conditions, the South Stream project, promoted by Russia, Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger declared, quoted by AFP.

The Commission might support the South Stream project if it respects all technical requirements in terms of security. He underlined that the priority remains Nabucco. On the other hand, Bulgarian PM Boiko Borisov accused the EU and the US for supporting Nabucco only on paper and do not make enough efforts to reduce the real dependency of the EU on Russian gas.