What the newspapers say: February 3, 2009

All newspapers today read about the second Interior ministry to resign in the past few weeks, due to internal disputes within the Social Democratic Party. Also in the news, the government seems to fail to deliver, as any budgetary increases of salaries were postponed until after April 15. Elsewhere in the news, the International Court of Justice is to pronounce its decision on Romania’s dispute with Ukraine today.

Romania libera reads that another Interior minister has fallen, a few weeks after Gabriel Oprea resigned due to internal disputes within the Social Democratic Party over nominations within the ministry.

PSD member Liviu Dragnea presented his resignation and declared that he cannot control the ministry as long as the government’s budget was severely reduced. He declared that the safety of the citizens must be maintained with sufficient resources. Moreover, Dragnea told the press that he would rather remain faithful to the decentralization principle which is not upheld by the current government.

Nonetheless, all newspapers read that these are not the real reasons that lead to his resignation. Romania Libera reads that there were political pressures from within the Social Democratic Party, whose member Dragnea is, to name certain colleagues in important positions within the ministries.

In reaction, PM Boc declared that the resignation decision is an unilateral act and that he will accept Dragnea’s decision. He announced that he will consult with PSD leader Mircea Geoana over the situation of the ministry.

Gandul reads that, according to sources quoted by HotNews.ro, PSD leaders Marian Vanghelie and Mircea Geoana had a fight over the proposal of several state secretaries within the Interior ministry.

The newspaper reads that President Basescu declared, at Dragnea’s nomination that he urges the two governing parties not to transfer internal political disputes over the image of the government and harm it.

PSD leader Mircea Geoana declared that the ministry will soon be occupied by a competent professional.

Cotidianul reads that the Prime Minister announced that all salary increases are postponed, for an undetermined date. Consultations will be held after April 15. The budget will reach the Parliament this week and all social partners seemed to have agreed to it.

However, salaries will most surely delay in their increase because one of the decisions taken on the matter is that after April 15, consultations over salary increases will depend on the economic performances registered and the economic forecasts for the year to come.

Boc announced that all these measures will complement the government’s anti-crisis measures already proposed last week. He added that the entrepreneurs’ representatives agreed with the government on several other measures that will help the former consolidate their businesses over the critical period.

Elsewhere in the news, the International Court of Justice in Hague will announce its final decision on Romania’s dispute with Ukraine over the delimitation of the continental plateau, Gandul reads. The process, will finally settle an issue Romania has fought for years.

Romania’s solution is correct, moderate and reasonable, Romania’s lawyer Bogdan Aurescu declared. The proposed solution respects the geographical delimitation of both Romania and Ukraine while Ukraine argued that it has the right to claim a greater part of the continental plateau and its exclusive economic areas.

Nonetheless, Romania did not present the Serpent’s Island case to the court but the island itself bears an important role in the trial because, if it will be decided that it is a stone, then Ukraine will be entitled to hold only the 12 miles it owns currently. Kiev officials attempted to populate the island in order to obtain an expansion of the area.