What the newspapers say: January 10, 2008

Romania and Italy are not in the middle of a political crisis and Italy will not put up a strategy to expel Romanians – this is the conclusion reached by the Romanian and the Italian Foreign Minister, Adrian Cioroianu and Massimo D’Alema. We may be far from a political crisis, but a financial one is bound to grow, even the Finance Minister admitting (in private, so far) that the state budget may not keep up with all the expenses scheduled in 2007. The growing taxes for new cars will not help either.

163 Romanians in Italy received expelling orders since November. Still, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema says that all expelling took into account the interior policy and were not aiming at EU citizens illegally working and living in Italy. Even more, D’Alema says that the new decree for expelling community citizens is not part of a strategy, but a natural document, put up after the former one was not approved by the Parliament.

Back home, Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian admitted during a meeting with president Traian Basescu and union leaders that the growth of pensions is unlikely to be covered by the state budget in 2009, Evenimentul Zilei reads.

Same Vosganian may be soon targeted by the anti-graft prosecutors, in an embezzlement file referring so far to the recently resigned Justice Minister, Tudor Chiuariu. Justice sources declared for Gandul that the file may even reach prime minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

Speaking of Tariceanu, the prime minister doesn’t really care about the fact that president Basescu rejected his candidate foe the Justice Minster seat, Norica Nicolai. „Basescu only invoked arguments referring to the candidate’s image, he didn’t bring any legal arguments”. Arguing that Basescu has had himself some image problems, Tariceanu demands him to agree with Norica Nicolai being Justice Minister as soon as possible, Evenimentul Zilei informs.

After cutting some 90% off the car first registration tax, due to pressures from the European Union, the Government prepares a new series of taxes for new cars. Romanians may soon have to pay up to 420 Euro to register a new car, even one with a small engine, same Evenimentul Zilei reads.