What the newspapers say: May 7, 2008

Political surveys are a regular in campaigns and as the one for the June local elections has started each party tends once again to lean the numbers towards their advantage, one newspaper reads on Wednesday. In the same vein, political attacks are off to a start against Social Democratic leader Mircea Geoana. On a lighter tone, former European Capital of Culture Sibiu is for one week the world’s jazz capital.

Gandul reads about several political surveys requested by all parties to determine the positions of their candidates but surprise: both Liberals and Democrat Liberals received similar results. As expected, conclusions drawn tend to lean the numbers towards their advantage.

The Gallup survey requested by Liberals reveals that Democrat Liberal candidate Blaga has 29%, closely followed by independent Sorin Oprescu with 26% and the Liberal candidate, Ludovic Orban with only 18%.

The CSOP survey conducted at the request of Democrat Liberals shows a greater distance between the first two positions: thus Blaga holds 39%, Sorin Oprescu 28% and Ludovic Orban 14%. Thus, while Liberal Democrats expect a competition between their candidate and Oprescu, Liberals count on Ludovic Orban’s chances to enter the second turnout.

Liberals lean on other surveys which portray Oprescu on a descending line which might actually give their candidate, Orban, a chance. Sources within the party read that independent Oprescu, a former PSD member, stole a lot of capital from the PSD and their current candidate Cristian Diaconescu who is fourth in the polls.

More in the news, political attacks are off to a start against Social Democratic leader Mircea Geoana, Evenimentul Zilei reads. Political Investigations Group head Mugur Ciuvica presented documents yesterday allegedly attesting that PSD leader’s mother in law illegally bought a house from the state downtown Bucharest.

What’s more, it seems that the transaction could not have been possible without the approval of the then Bucharest city hall mayor, Traian Basescu nor without the support of Romania’s PM at the time, Mugur Isarescu.

It seems that even though Geoana’s mother in law was not a diplomat she received a villa downtown Bucharest from the state’s patrimony which she managed to buy using a legal trick. This controversial issue haunts Mircea Geoana since 2004 elections when the scandal first broke out.

However, at the time he failed to prove the legality of the transaction. Thus, it’s hard to imagine that this electoral campaign will sprang out other news to absolve him or his parents in law.

On a lighter tone, former European Capital of Culture, Sibiu, Central Romania hosts the International Jazz Festival for one week, gathering important names in the branch, Romania libera reads. Moreover, the festival is an opportunity for young talents to launch their careers.

Sibiu hosts this year the festival’s 38th edition attended by some dozens of bands from 14 countries and more. The first show of the festival’s opening sold some 700 tickets.