What the newspapers say: July 18, 2008

The fingerprinting campaign of Roma immigrants in Italy is beginning, despite the international protests. Italian officials claim that Romania president Traian Basescu has nothing against it and that the criticism of prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu has no grounds. Meanwhile, the changes continue in the Bucharest City Hall, after the electoral victory of independent candidate Sorin Oprescu. And, as usual, Romania has new problems with the European Union, this time regarding the spending of EU funds.

The head architect of Bucharest lost his job after a session with the Discipline Commission yesterday, Gandul reads. The same paper tells that Adrian Bold tried to duck the decision, formulating a criminal complaint against the head of the Discipline Commission, but the decision came under the pressure put by the City Mayor, Sorin Oprescu.

In Italy, the Government not only launches the fingerprinting campaign, but also has brutal answers for the Romanian Prime Minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who recently expressed his concern regarding the discriminatory actions of the Italian officials. „His worries are not justified and have absolutely no grounds”, said the Italian Minister for European Affairs, Andrea Ronchi. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni was even rougher, saying that „there are subversive polemics, false statements and I would even fight them in Court”, Evenimentul Zilei notes.

Gandul adds that president Traian Basescu seems to have nothing against the fingerprinting campaign, or at least this is what Maroni let to be understood in his latest statements.

Meanwhile, Romania demands the European Commission for more time to spend the Agriculture subsidies, which are quite late at this moment, and tries for avoid paying penalties for the delay. An official decision will be adopted by the Commission after the evaluation report in October, Cotidianul informs.