What the newspapers say: June 20, 2011

The current problems related to Romania’s territorial reorganization and the dissatisfaction of the Hungarian minority reached the American press. After a decade of efforts, scandals and three mayors Bucharest authorities inaugurate a bridge that cost 200 million euro. Elsewhere in the news, a Romanian was shot in broad daylight in Italy.

Gandul reads that the current hot issue in Romania regarding its territorial reorganization and the dissatisfaction of the Hungarian minority with it reached the American press. The warning of the Hungarian Democratic Party, Kelemen Hunor that the lack of consideration of the calls of the Hungarian minority in the project will lead to a direct street conflict appears in the American daily Washington Post that quotes Hunor saying that the only time the Hungarian minority was present on the streets was in 1968 when former Communist leader Ceausescu made a territorial reorganization and today the same will happen.

Hunor’s statements are followed by another statement by the Covasna County Council President Tamas Sandor who said that the Hungarian minority can disobey and that in a first stage they will protest peacefully but then they should see. Hunor reiterated his statements for Associated Press, quoted by Washington Post and said he does not understand why the fuss around his statements.

He said that protests are a democratic way of expressing disagreement with the state’s policies.

After a decade of efforts, scandals and three mayors Bucharest authorities inaugurated the biggest investment project in the city since the Revolution worth 200 million euro for 2 km of bridge. The Social Democrats, of which incumbent Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu (now an independent) was part of, opposed the project between 2000 and 2004.

The newspaper reads about the 2 km bridge passing over Dambovita river and the railway station Gara de Nord. However, the joy of the new bridge is shadowed by the huge cost of the project worth 204 million euro according to the final data released by the city hall. The passage way looks modern and worthy of a European capital even though it is a unique site.

Evenimentul Zilei reads that a Romanian was shot in broad daylight in North of Italy, in Portomaggiore city. The man, aged 30 was hospitalized at the intensive care unit. Investigators suspect that the Romanian was involved in a dispute that lead to the shooting.