What the newspapers say: January 20, 2009

The same day Obama writes history, other historic news make the headlines across the globe, in Romania, where all phone calls will be recorded and stored for six months, while Russia seems to get closer to the moment when the natural gas will be pumped again towards its captive users.

Starting on Tuesday, all short messages and e-mails, Internet navigation history, along with all phone calls, will be recorded and stored for six months, as a measure within the anti-terrorist campaign. The content of the communication will not be recorded, instead the new databases will include the phone numbers of the callers and call recipients, their geographical location, the messages’ content and the e-mail addresses, Gandul reads.

In the most absurd scandal Bucharest has seen lately, the local authorities realized that a measure designed to make it easier for inhabitants to park their cars had unexpected effects: cars bought through leasing can no longer be parked near the owners’ domicile, Evenimentul Zilei reads. The rules may be soon bent, after several thousands of people stirred the scandal yesterday.

Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement for the natural gas transit towards Europe: Russia will sell its gas 20% cheaper for Ukraine, while Ukraine will maintain unchanged the transit fee. Things will change in 2010, though, when Ukraine will impose its fees at an European level, while Russia will adjust the gas price to its desired level, Evenimentul Zilei reads.

A new study reveals that the profile of the Romanian citizen hasn’t changed significantly during the past few years, resembling the portrait of Polish citizens in 2005. Thus, Romanians go to church (mainly those with less education, where the percentage is 80%, compared to 50% among those with high education), have families, are willing to work and are disgusted by politics. 80% of Romanians would accept an authoritarian leader, Cotidianul informs, quoting a study within the 2008 European Values Survey.