What the newspapers say: January 20, 2010

Paranormal activities during the presidential campaign such as the use of malicious energy attacks are still on top of the political agenda as newspapers try to figure out who is the man in charge with such attacks. Elsewhere in the news, IMF warns that this installment will be the last to reach the budget. Another scandal is about to break concerning copyright contracts: Labour ministry plans to compel employees with such contracts to pay their social contributions. Last but not least, Dacia will launch a new model, Duster.

Paranormal activities during the presidential campaign such as the use of malicious energy attacks have been blamed by a top Romanian politician and his wife for his losing the presidential poll against Traian Basescu last year. The allegations, made by Social Democratic Party – PSD leader Mircea Geoana and his wife Mihaela Geoana on a TV station last weekend, have sparked mockery in Romanian media and intensified attacks on him as the party is engulfed in a power struggle following the election last year.

Today, most newspapers are trying to figure out who is the man behind the scenes allegedly in charge with the malicious energy attacks. Gandul reads that apparently, that the man in Basescu’s team this year was also spotted in Mircea Geoana’s team in 2007.

The newspaper reads that no one knows who he is, who hired him and what was he really doing. Neither the Social Democrats, the Democrat Liberals nor the Presidential Administration want to take responsibility.

Cotidianul warns that the IMF will not allow authorities to cover the state budget from the loan. The 2.3 billion euro which are due to be released by the IMF by the end of the month will be shared between Finance and the National Central Bank, IMF delegation chief Jeffrey Franks.

An IMF mission lead by Jeffrey Franks have a one week visit to Romania to evaluate the financing agreeent.

Cotidianul reads about a new scandal that is about to break out regarding copyright contracts: Labour minister Seitan put forward the proposal that all employees with copyright contracts should pay their social contributions. The proposal was integrated in the new unique pensions scheme law, which is due to be enforced starting January 1, 2011.

Most of the employees with copyright contracts are working in the press, and all unions are dissatisfied with the proposal. President of the press union, Teodor Vasiliu declared that the Labour ministry did not think of aligning the Romanian legislation to the European one: taxes are very high and it will have to be paid by journalists because the employers will not pay it.

The percent is the same as before, except that now it is optional, Labour minister counselor Loredana Manolache declared for the newspaper.

Gandul reads about the new Dacia car model, Duster which will be launched in May, this year, Dacia Administration Council President Jacques Chauvet declared. According to previous information, Dacia Duster will be sold with about 10,000 euro but the information was not confirmed.