What the newspapers say: March 31, 2010

Romania’s National Television (TVR) is left without a leader after the activity report of the television was rejected in the Parliament, most newspapers read on Wednesday. Elsewhere in the news, Senator Catalin Voicu is under temporary arrest for 30 days, after magistrates approved the request of anti graft prosecutors. The Presidency pays 70,000 euro to receive news from four Romanian news agencies. The IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss Kahn is a lucky man: he forgot his watch in the Romanian Parliament but recovered it in less than two hours.

The Parliament approved, yesterday (Tuesday), with 195 votes for, 78 against the proposal of the Culture Committee to reject the activity report of the Romanian National Television (TVR), Gandul reads.

The decision implies that current TVR Director Alexandru Sassu is dismissed. On the other hand, the report of the National Radio (RRA) was approved. Sassu declared in the Parliament that PM Boc urged him to receive him weekly in prime time in a talk show. In such conditions, Sassu said, what we need to change in Romania is the mentality not the laws.

The Executive’s Spokesperson Ioana Munteanu replied that the PM has every right to talk to Romanians and communicate directly his decisions, according to law 41/1994.

Nonetheless one thing is clear: negotiations started for a new director of TVR and a new board. There are 13 positions for each of the Institutions for the Presidency, Government, Employees and political parties.

Most probably, the paper reads, Democrat Liberals will have 3 representatives, Hungarian Democrats and minorities 1, the other 4 are split among the Social Democrats and the Liberal.

Most newspapers today read about the temporary arrest of Senator Catalin Voicu, after the Higher Court of Justice decided to approve the request of anti graft prosecutors. Cotidianul reads that the Senator left his house last night, for prison.

Voicu is under arrest starting March 30 to April 28. Voicu will be immediately imprisoned. The Senator is accused of forgery, traffic of influence and corruption.

Cotidianul reads that the Presidency pays about 70,000 euro to four Romanian news agencies for the information he receives. He also benefits from a daily summary of the most sensitive information supplied by the Romanian secret services. The summary is formed by the Office for Integrated Information, a special structure within the Presidency, lead by a state counselor.

Sources in the Presidency declared that in 2010 the Presidency pays by 30,000 euro more than in 2009.

On a lighter tone, IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss Kahn was about to lose its watch, in his short visit in Romania. Strauss Kahn left his watch in the Parliament, after a speech he delivered, Cotidianul reads.

Luckily, the watch was spotted by Romanian senators who managed to get hold of Strauss Kahn in time, before his departure for the US.