What the newspapers say: January 14, 2009

All newspapers read on Wednesday about the resignation of PSD Interior minister Gabriel Oprea. Elsewhere in the news, some 4,000 employees at Dacia organized a protest against the elimination of the environmental car tax for second hand cars, as EU officials informed their Romanian counterparts that their decision to increase the environmental tax for second hand cars breaches EU legislation.

All newspapers today read about PSD Interior minister Gabriel Oprea who decided to resign, thus ending a first crisis to emerge in the PSD-PDL camp, Gandul reads. Meanwhile, the crisis continues as Social Democrats consider that President Basescu tested the Social Democratic Party while presidential sources, quoted by NewsIn declared that in reality, it was PSD member Viorel Hrebenciuc who tested the alliance.

Oprea denied that he had any consultations regarding the nomination of the four state secretaries that lead to the scandal. He declared that Basescu had nothing to do with the nomination but the newspaper reads that Ardelean would have received a secret service head which would have needed at least Basescu’s approval.

Even so, a group of PSD members gathered up in Bucharest to protest against the party’s decision to withdraw their support for Oprea. Cotidianul reads that the protest was one of solidarity with Oprea and not a protest against hte party.

Evenimentul Zilei reads that over 5,000 Dacia employees together with those from the supplying companies organized a protest against the elimination of the environmental tax on second hand cars. Union leaders declared that yesterday’s protest will be followed by other protests at Mioveni, where the company is.

Dacia Union president Nicolae Pavelescu declared that protests will go on for as long as it takes and threaten that, if the environmental car tax will be eliminated they will protest in Bucharest and gather up more than 10,000 people.

Dacia president Francois Furmount declared, in a meeting with Union leaders, Dacia’s leadership and local representatives, that the environmental car tax is essential to revitalize sales even thought this is not the only help authorities can offer.

Dacia declared that, if the crisis in the car market will not moderate they could give up in the spring to about 3,000- 4,000 employees.

However, news are not encouraging on this issue from the European Union, Evenimentul Zilei reads as Romania was officially warned that the version of the tax adopted in December breaches communitarian law.

Thus, the government’s decision to increase the value of the environment tax for second hand cars breaches EU legislation and needs to be modified immediately. Foreign Affairs Department head, Vasile Puscas declared that he will advise with PM Boc on the issue and come up with a solution.

Environment Minister Nicolae Nemirschi declared that by Thursday, January 15, the government will come up with a new variant of the environment tax.