What the newspapers say: February 22, 2008

The latest events in Kosovo still keep the front pages in most newspapers, along with some moves in the Romanian politics – namely the possible return of former PM Adrian Nastase as leader of the Opposition – and the future financing the European Union offers for the development of Romanian agriculture.

Gandul is lost among figures, publishing on its front page an article about Serb PM Vojslav Kostunica speaking in front of a crowd on 150,000 demonstrants and returning later with headlines like „A million Serbs shouted: Kosovo is Serbian!”. Whether it was about less than 200,000 or over a million people crowd, same Gandul writes about an explosion taking place in front of a UN court building Kosovska Mitrovitsa, where no one was injured, but significant material losses were recorded.

After several Kosovo leaders ensured the international media that Kosovo will not represent a precedent for other provinces, Transdniester rushed to contradict them. The self-proclaimed independent state organizes on Friday the „Ahead with Russia” conference, calling for the republic to be reunited with Russia, Evenimentul Zilei reads. The conference will be attended to by pro-Russian politicians from Ukraine, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as well as representatives of Dmitri Medvedev, Putin’s candidate for the Russian presidency.

It is the „D-Day” for Adrian Nastase, same Evenimentul Zilei comments. Probably the most controversial former Prime Minister Romania ever had prepares to return as Social Democrat leader, despite the fact that some of his deeds are still investigated by the anti-graft prosecutors. „The party would gain a much more powerful voice, but the scandals around Nastase would turn the party into a sitting duck right before the electoral campaign”, the newspaper comments.

Finally, some good news comes from Romania Libera: the European Union’s Rural Development Committee approved on Thursday the financing programs for 2007 – 2011. Romania will benefit from 8 billion euro funds, deigned for both agriculture development and protection of endangered species.