What the newspapers say: May 20, 2011

Anti graft prosecutors are working on one of the most complex files targeting the activity of the state owned company Oltchim and the illicit wealth gained by its general director. Almost 80% of the hospitals in Romania were currently evaluated and those that do not comply with minimum standards will have to disappear. A Romanian doctor commutes to Belgium every two months for work. American investors are interested in the hydro plant at Tarnita Lapusesti, West Romania. The most important offshore yachting competition is organized by Yacht Club Romania and LZ Yachting Bulgaria.

Evenimentul Zile reads about one of the most important files which anti graft prosecutors are putting together, against Constantin Roibu, general director of a state owned company, Oltchim who apparently made his fortune on the shoulders of the company. Apparently, as director of the company, Roibu made some commercial and financial operations to obtain personal benefits and the detriment of the company he runs.

Apparently Roibu set up a real criminal network that sucks for years tens of millions of euro from the accounts of the company. Roibu has been a director at Oltchim for 20 years while the company’s operations have been financed by the state’s budget. The company reported loses worth 200 million lei each year.

Romania’s health sector is in a bad shape, but that’s nothing new. Romania libera reads that about 80% of the hospitals in Romania have been categorized according to new criteria and while most received the highest scores, some did not even make it to the minimum. Therefore, there will be plenty of small hospitals that will have to merge together with similar others or shut down.

Doctors appreciate the new system, saying that those hospitals without necessary equipments will be shut down and patients moved to those where they can know for sure can attend to their needs.

In the same vein, for the money and peace of mind, a Romanian pediatric doctor from Moldova, North Romania commutes every two months to Belgium for night shifts, Evenimentul Zilei reads. The newspaper tells the story of the doctor who chooses to commute for the money and the pleasure to work in a well organized European hospital.

She reveals that she worked for two years in Belgium when she decided to return in Romania to take her specialty exam and stay here. However, she could not give up work in Belgium and signed a contract with a hospital, as a replacement doctor. Therefore, every two months or so, the doctor commutes to Belgium for night shifts.

She wins about 800 euro after a weekend shift in Belgium and says it is worth the sacrifice.

Elsewhere in the news, American investors are interested in the hydro plant at Tarnita Lapusesti, West Romania. Chamber of Deputies Committee on Industry and Services President Iulian Iancu said that he was contacted by representatives of an American fund. The Americans would be willing to invest 1.3 billion euro and the project includes a mini neighborhood for those that will be working at the plant.

He said that the government still needs to approve the project so that works can start.

Romania libera reads about the most important offshore yachting competition in the Black Sea organized by Yacht Club Romania and LZ Yachting Bulgaria. BMW Black Sea International Regatta starts in Mangalia and ends in Varna. This is the only yachting competition organized between two countries where teams from Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Turkey attend. The awards will be offered at Varna, on May 22.