What the newspapers say: February 3, 2011

Another surprise candidate to run for PDL President is announced by sources in the party who claim that former Interior minister Blaga might announced his intentions soon. Democrat Liberals did not manage yesterday to mobilize enough at the vote on the arrest proposal of their colleague, Dan Pasat recently nominated by President Basescu as bad example for the party’s image. About 19,000 counterfeit products were discovered in containers from China in Constanta’s port.

Gandul reads on Thursday about the plans of former PDL Interior minister Vasile Blaga to run for the highest position in the party. Quoting sources from the party, the newspaper reads that Blaga already decided to run, but will officially announce his plans after February 19th. If Blaga will run, he will run against Basescu not against Boc, a PDL vice President said.

In October last year, in an interview for Gandul, Blaga hinted that he might consider the possibility if tensions in the party will evolve. The newspaper reads that Blaga’s dissatisfaction is on PM Boc ever since the latter decided to give up police escorts, in a gesture imitating the President, right after the corruption scandal in the Interior ministry.

Apparently, Boc’s gesture was interpreted as a lack of public distrust in Blaga’s managing the Interior ministry.

Democrat Liberals did not mobilize enough at the vote on the arrest of their colleague, Dan Pasat, Evenimentul Zilei reads. Even though there were 12 PDL deputies present, the arrest request was approved with only 10 votes for which is equal to the number of opposition deputies present.

In other words, the arrest proposal was either voted favorably only by the opposition or several PDL deputies voted against it thus ignoring President Basescu’s advice to defer all PDL members to the justice if it is the case. The consultative approval of the committee will be forwarded to the PDL group for an opinion and then sent in the Parliament for a final vote.

Romania libera reads that almost 19,000 counterfeit products were discovered in containers in Constanta, South East Romania from China. The value of the products amounts to 4.5 million lei and it involves perfumes, shoes and cosmetics products. This is the most important cease in 2011 so far.

According to a EU report, Romania is among the first ten states on the volume of counterfeit products. The main reasons for which the Romanian Constants naval port is preferred is that Romania became a EU border and that institutions to counter this phenomenon have lower funds compared to other EU states.