What the newspapers say: March 10, 2008

Governing Liberals seem to find new ways to co-opt opposition Social Democrats in another attempt to avoid a governmental reshuffling, one newspaper reads on Monday. Elsewhere in the news, a Silicon Valley of Romania is to be built in Iasi, North Romania. Last but not least, George Bush is to meet Vladimir Putin and Romanian President Traian Basescu a couple of days before the summit by in the Romanian seaside resort of Neptun.

Gandul reads about another possible trade-off between the governing Liberals and the opposition Social Democrats (PSD) who where threatening with a censure motion. PSD leader Mircea Geoana has met his Liberal counterpart, Calin Popescu Tariceanu to talk about a possible common strategy.

Sources quoted by the newspaper argue that Social Democrats urge for the Liberals to officially set up an electoral alliance, otherwise, they would submit a censure motion against the current government. Leaders of the Social Democratic Party are determined to set things clear, for once.

However it seems that, even though determined to clear things up, Social Democrats have failed to push for a decision. Former PSD president Ion Iliescu was the only participant who admitted that talks among the two parties began.

Elsewhere in the news, a 200 million investment will create Romania’s own Silicon Valley in Iasi, North Romania, the same Gandul reads. The outstanding business center will replace a huge local textile factory in the area. However, the business park will contain an arts center and a student campus.

Some 20 new buildings will host back office and call center services and the newspaper reads that students in the campus nearby are targeted by these businesses. The center will be finished by 2013 and will benefit the city and the region greatly.

Last but not least, Evenimentul Zilei reads that Bush is to meet Russian PM Vladimir Putin and Romanian President Traian Basescu a couple of days before the summit in Neptun, a resort in South East Romania, by the Black Sea.

Sources of the newspaper read that the area has already been inspected by both Romanian and US secret police officers. Moreover, local police members are on call 24 hours a day until the Summit finishes.

However, nobody knows whether Presidents Bush’s plane Air Force One will land in Constanta or in Bucharest. And there is no information how the US President will reach Bucharest once the meeting is over.

Romanian Foreign Affairs representatives did not confirm the meeting, nor denied it. They refused to spell out any detail connected to a possible meeting of the three heads of state.