What the newspapers say: December 18, 2007

All newspapers on Tuesday read that PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu has agreed to name a new Justice Minister in the person of Norica Nicolai, vice-president in the Liberal Party. As Romania commemorates 18 years since the Revolution, one newspapers reads about what happened to top officials involved in the events of 1989. Also in the news, government representatives paid an obscure advertising company to create the brand of Romania.

Cotidianul reads about the eternal candidate for the seat of Justice minister, Norica Nicolai, who has finally a step away from accomplishing her dream of taking over the seat left vacant by minister Tudor Chiuariu a week ago.

Norica Nicolai was supported by the majority of her colleagues and was proposed by PM Tariceanu even if journalists argued that he wished to name a technocrat, the paper writes.

The newspaper reads the political reactions of her adversaries: Theodor Stolojan, vicepresident of the Democrat Liberals (PDL) says that Norica Nicolai should learn from the mistakes of her predecessor.

Social Democrats leader, Mircea Geoana says that the Justice Ministry lacks any credibility and respectability and he doubts that Norica Nicolai will be able to change something.

Gandul reads about a tete-a-tete discussion PM Tariceanu had with Norica Nicolai before proposing her for the Justice seat.

The paper reads that Tariceanu outlined the results she needs to fulfill while Minister of Justice.

PM Tariceanu’s proposal needs the approval of President Basescu and Nicolai is known for her agressive stand against Basescu.

Elsewhere in the news, the key officials involved in the Romanian December 1989 revolution have died in misterious conditions, Romania Libera reads.

The newspaper adds that its investigation lead to the conclusion that various army generals died in unelucidated conditions by 1991.

Dozens of generals either committed suicide or died of ‘natural’ causes as their cases was never properly investigated.

The newspaper implies the possibility that the generals had access to important information before and during the revolution.

More in the news today, the government paid some obscure advertising company, Imagina SRL, to elaborate the brand of Romania, Gandul informs, harshly criticizing the outcome.

Some 41,000 euro were paid for the elaboration of a new logo for Romania which is expected to replace the old one on all official documents and public institutions.

The paper reads that the new logo, compared to that of France lacks any seriosity and inventivity as the brand looks more like one made for a commercial brand.

Experts argue that the new brand put forward is childish and ordinary as it does not say anything about Romania. Moreover, if the government will adopt the new brand, Romania’s image will suffer even more.