What the newspapers say: April 7, 2008

Newspapers on Monday read about another golden medal for Romanian gymnast Izbasa who dazzled on the balance beam and floor exercises at the European championships. On the political stage, Social Democrats are in the spotlight as they attempt to find a candidate for the Bucharest Mayor seat. Last but not least, Dacia employees are still on strike and union leaders argue they are determined to continue until they receive a better salary pack.

Romanian gymnast Sandra Izbasa dazzled on the balance beam and floor exercises and won the golden medal at the European championship of Clermont Ferrand in France, Romania Libera reads.

Overall, Romania has managed to get two positions in the top three: besides Sandra, Anamaria Tamarjan obtained the bronze medal, even though it is her first time in such a competition.

Evenimentul Zilei reads about the difference of training styles between former gymnast technicians Belu and Bitang who lead the Romanian team for 15 years and their successor Forminte who, although with a less draconian style, managed to secure a golden medal for Romania.

Nicolae Forminte declared that he would not take the result for granted and will continue to train the girls with care and responsibility. The new trainer had announced, when he took up the team, that he would reach for the golden medals.

As the Bucharest NATO Summit fuss cools down, political conflicts re-enter the stage, this time in the Social Democratic Party camp, Cotidianul reads. Social Democrats are still split on who to support for local elections in Bucharest this spring.

The newspaper reads that a possible new candidate would be Miron Mitrea, former PSD Transports Minister and investigated by anti-graft prosecutors in several files. Mitrea told Cotidianul that he would accept the proposition should PSD leaders find it necessary.

However, the newspaper reads that Mitrea is just another PSD member to run at the party’s request, as all internal leaders seem to refuse the seat. Sources within the Social Democratic Party argue that the Bucharest organization has already endorsed Marian Vanghelie, the candidate who is not supported by former PSD leader Ion Iliescu or former PM Adrian Nastase.

At the other side of the political spectrum, Democrat Liberals seem to have already found a candidate, in the person of Vasile Blaga who will be officially announced these days. Moreover, Democrat Liberals announced that all candidates for local elections will be announced by April 11.

Last but not least, Gandul reads about Dacia’s trade union leaders who argue that employees now on general are ready to go all the way, until they will receive the requested salary pack. Moreover, they argue that they do not need to worry about the salary they lose in the meanwhile.

The general strike reaches its fourteenth day, the longest general strike ever organized at Dacia. Workers leaders believe that the trade union will cover 50% of the employee’s salaries during the strike, from a special fund created for such situations.

Moreover, union members from Renault, France have promised to financially support their Romanian counterparts for the entire strike period. However, Romanian union leaders did not want to reveal the total financial aid they would receive from their French colleagues.

Dacia officials recently announced that they started producing some 85 cars per day as compared to 63 cars per hour set up in normal conditions. The newspaper reads that even so, these cars are checked more carefully and some were even returned.