What the newspapers say: April 18, 2011

Government takes responsibility for the twelve time in the Parliament: today, it is the social code and the salary of professors. Why Russian and Turkey fear Romania, one newspaper wonders. Budgetary personnel have to bear another three years of austerity. Five Romanians received a royal invitation to the British Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Dutch farmers, dissatisfied by restrictions imposed to Romanian workers. Museums are out on the street in Sibiu, central Romania.

Evenimentul Zilei reads that the government will assume responsibility for the twelve time to the Parliament for the social code and the salary of professors. The opposition announced that it will boycott the session. Therefore, the Opposition will not attend the meeting and the Prime Minister will read the speech only to his colleagues today.

Romania libera quotes an analysis reading that Romania has both economic and strategic interests in the Caucasus and an official of the Defense ministry reads that this region will become an important one for great powers in the upcoming future. Analysts in Ankara and Moscow consider that lately Romania has extended its military and energy influence at the Black Sea too much.

Romania is the only country in the EU who signed a strategic partnership with a country in the area, with Azerbaijan. Analysts in Turkey and Russia are restless about the AGRI project, which sees the gas transports from Azerbaijan in which Romania is involved.

Russia feels offended by Romania’s ascension in the region and experts close to Kremlin do not hesitate to speak of Romania’s irredentist intentions.

Budgetary personnel have to bear another three years of budgetary restrictions, Romania libera reads. Salaries of those working in the private sector will increase in the second part of the year but personnel lay offs and other financial benefits will be cut for the next three years.

The executive estimates that a 1.5% increase of GDP will be registered this year. Austerity measures will be continued to sustain Romania’s economic recovery.

Gandul reads about Romania’s Royal family who received an invitation to the British Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Plus, count of Kalnoky also received an invitation. King Mihai I, Princess Margareta and Prince Radu will also attend the royal wedding.

The Romanian Royal family already started preparations for their attendance at the wedding for which they have to respect strict protocol rules.

Dutch farmers threaten to sue Social Affairs minister Henk Kamp if the government will not change its position and will not allow work permits for Romanians, Evenimentul Zilei reads. Kamp announced on April 13 his proposal, backed by the Dutch government, to have non EU and Romania and Bulgaria citizens receive working permits, starting July 1st only in exceptional cases.

The measures, farmer unions announce threaten the retail contracts for the season. Farmers in Netherlands are counting on 2000 Romanian temporary workers to harvest. Since the EU expanded in 2004, on average, about 165,000 citizens in Central and Eastern Europe worked in agriculture, constructions, industry and transports sector in the Netherlands.

Evenimentul Zilei reads about plans in Sibiu, central Romania to install a labyrinth type of museum, on 700 square meters for one week. The museum is a project whose aim is to take museums out in the streets to attract citizens to visit the actual museums.

The labyrinth will be placed in downtown Sibiu a week before the Museum Night event when all museums will be open all night on May 8th. Jazz and other music concerts are also scheduled around the huge tent.