What the newspapers say: February 1, 2008

The former Communist political police, Securitate, has won again – this is the news that makes it to all front pages on Friday. Pointed at as a former Securitate informer, Conservative leader Dan Voiculescu managed to sue the Council enabled to study the Securitate archives (CNSAS) and won: the Constitutional court found that the CNSAS activity is anti-Constitutional.

In other news: Friday begins with a spontaneous strike at the Romanian Railroad Company; Romanians are discriminated by car rental giant Hertz and the national currency is on the rebound.

„The Securitate won again” – Evenimentul Zilei. „Securitate officers, sleep tight!” – Romania Libera; „Securitate is no longer illegal due to Felix” – Cotidianul; „Communist Romania – without Securitate officers” – Gandul: these are the headlines of the day. Dan Voiculescu, pointed at as former Securitate informer, user of the „source nickname” Felix, won the trial at the Constitutional Court, where it was decided that CNSAS functions illegally. In case a solution isn’t found in 45 days, CNSAS will be either shut, or it will become a simple storage facility for the former Securitate files, Evenimentul Zilei reads.

The CNSAS functioning law was challenged for the fact that it subordinated the institution to the Parliament and because CNSAS could act as an extraordinary court. Both aspect were found illegal, Cotidianul adds.

Romanians are discriminated by Hertz, the car – rental giant, Gandul found out. Romanian Marius Popiti paid in advance, through bank transfer, for a car he was supposed to use in Brussels, but found out on arrival that „an interior disposition” prevents Hertz clerks to rent any more cars to Romanians.

Friday morning, travelers in trains at the Northern Railroad Station in Bucharest were asked to step-off from the train when a spontaneous strike begun, Evenimentul zilei reads. „It is not a strike, it is an illegal interruption of the activity”, said Transport Minister Ludovic Orban for Realitatea TV. Still, there is no sigh of a fast resolution on the problem.

Central Bank (BNR) governor Mugur Isarescu announced that the Euro will cease its growth and the Romanian leu (RON) will recover shortly, Gandul informs. On the other hand, Cotidianul points at the fact that same Isarescu will attempt to support the national currency by cutting the access to credits in foreign currencies by all means, including interest growth, so that the inflation would remain in between firm limits.