What the newspapers say: January 9, 2008

The news of the day is that Romania still hasn’t got a Justice Minister, after president Basescu rejected nominee Norica Nicolai, of the Liberal Party. Other related institutions see a similar chaos. The National Integrity Agency (ANI), for example, was supposed to be the institution enabled to check the wealth of dignitaries. Although insistently demanded by the EU, ANI is still not functional and can not even employ the required personnel.

„Norica, brought down by a nephew”, Evenimentul Zilei reads, quoting the reasons why president Basescu rejected Nicolai. According to the newspaper, Basescu wants a candidate beyond any controversy, even a politically independent one, if possible. 18 months ago, Norica Nicolai was involved in a scandal, having one of her nephews voting in the Senate in her place.

Another Justice – related institution, the National Integrity Agency, is still not functional, because the member of the National integrity Council failed to approve the contest regulation for the inspectors who want a job in ANI, therefore no inspectors can be yet employed. Until then, ANI can not verify any of the complaints tabled until now, pointing at illegally obtained wealth, Gandul reads.

Also in politics, a new temporary alliance seems to be put up by governing Liberals and opposition Social – Democrats, both parties taking into account the possibility to delay the local elections scheduled for June until November, when the Parliament elections are supposed to take place. The Local Elections Law needs to be modified for this move, Evenimentul Zilei informs, adding that a decision is still pending in both parties.

President Traian Basescu promulgated the anti-hooligans law, according to which severe fines and long community work hours are to be the sentence for people who enter the field during football games, for those to cause violent incidents, illegally sell alcohol or post banners with racist, violent, obscene or discriminating messages, Gandul reads. Fines may reach some 15,000 euro, while community hours may add up to 300.

The good news of the day is that Romanians will no longer be reported to the Credits Bureau without their knowledge and will benefit from a 15 days break to solve their financial problems. Since the Credits Bureau was opened, all clients who were 30 days late with payments over 10 RON (some 3 euro) were recorded as bad clients, the total amount reaching 3.8 million people, Cotidianul informs.