What the newspapers say: May 12, 2008

Romanian President Traian Basescu has started campaigning for his party candidates, one newspaper reads on Monday. Also in the news today, a train railed off the tracks this weekend, leaving one 17 years old girl dead and other four injured. Last but not least, Spanish investor Jesus Menchero negotiates with villagers in Sohatu Calarasi, South Romania to buy land from them and build an industrial town there.

Gandul reads that Romanian President Traian Basescu has started off his campaign to support the Democrat Liberal candidates (PD-L) in upcoming local elections. Basescu met current Bucharest mayor Adriean Videanu and future Bucharest mayor, as he declared, Vasile Blaga together with other district mayors.

Basescu did not miss the opportunity to attack the opposition party candidate, Social Democrat (PSD) Cristian Diaconescu and independent Sorin Oprescu. Basescu declared that Oprescu cannot run the City Hall nor can the other candidates who have their own flaws.

Recently several rumors discussed the possibility that Basescu do not approve Blaga’s candidacy but the electoral coffee break taken by the Democrat Liberals with the President dismisses such allegations.

Sources within the party argue that Basescu counseled the party’s candidates and told them to consider Oprescu as a Social Democrat not an independent. He added that PD-L candidates need to engage in a political fight, otherwise the electorate will not cast their votes.

Sources add that Blaga will adopt a more aggressive stance against Social Democrats in the upcoming political debates. Moreover, Basescu declared that he fully supported his party’s candidates and that he was sure they had all chances to win.

More in the news, a train railed off its tracks in North Romania, causing the death of one 17 year old young girl and the injury of other four, Evenimentul Zilei reads. The newspaper reads that this is the most serious train incident in the last 12 years.

Due to an old and over-used double railway switch on the tracks, the train derailed and the switch penetrated a train cabin where the young girl was staying, Romanian Railway Authority Head Constantin Zaharia declared. He added that the cabin’s metal interior did not stop the switch.

Officials argue that the main cause of the accident can be a technical problem at the local infrastructure due to the bad shape of the railway. 4% of the railway switches in Romania function properly while the other 96% threaten the life of citizens traveling by train.

Cosmina Alexandra Dimofte was 17 years old and was returning from Bucharest where she visited her sister, home, in Focsani. Her father, Pavel Dimofte is the head of a Romanian Railways (CFR) team assuring the safety infrastructure in the area of Focsani, eastern Romania.

Authorities are currently investigating, to determine the causes which lead to this accident: a human error, technical problems or a deliberate attempt by local steel smugglers to have stolen elements of the railway switch.

Last but not least, Cotidianul reads about Mexican investor Jesus Menchero who plans to buy some 40% of the agricultural land in Sohatu village, Calarasi county, South Romania to build an industrial town there. Menchero is ready to invest some 28 million euro and to build a town with 54,000 households, 4,480 industrial spaces, 122 logistical buildings, hospitals, schools, a cathedral, a sports complex, roads etc.

Local Mayor Iulian Dumitrica encourages local villagers to sell their land to the investor. The village, almost deserted with an average age rate of 60 years old, could use such an investment. However, villagers are skeptical about the intentions of the investor and argue that ‘selling the land is like selling your soul’.