What the newspapers say: May 6, 2008

Romania’s House of Deputies can destroy anti-graft investigations on former minister Miron Mitrea and prime minister, one newspaper reads on Tuesday. Elsewhere in the news, Bucharest city hall paid some 1.5 million euro to acquire a plot of land where stray dogs will be held. In the same vein, another newspaper reads about the controversial urban planning schemes voted irresponsibly by local administration representatives.

The files anti-graft prosecutors opened up in which former Social Democratic (PSD) PM Adrian Nastase and former PSD Transports minister Miron Mitrea are investigated can be accessed by the House of Deputies, Evenimentul Zilei reads.

More specifically, the files cease to be secret and thus information leaks can endanger the investigation. House of Deputies speaker Bogdan Olteanu declared that the content of the files needs to be kept secret in order for the investigation to succeed. Otherwise, Nastase’s lawyers will be able to know the file and counter it even before it reaches the court.

Deputies need to approve whether anti-graft prosecutors can go on with the investigation against Nastase and Mitrea. A committee made up of seven representatives of all parties will rule on the case. Moreover, the House ruled that any deputy who has an entitled request can view the files.

Nastase is accused of acquiring a property in downtown Bucharest way under the price of the market as hidden bribe where he built his house. Moreover, Mitrea is accused of receiving bribe from a public servant.

Elsewhere in the news, Bucharest mayor Adriean Videanu approved a 1.5 million euro land purchase nearby Bucharest in order to move stray dogs over there, Gandul reads. The paper reads that the land’s price is 100 times higher than the real market price.

Thus, Videanu spends local funds to offer luxurious conditions for Bucharest stray dogs. Local officials declared that the land has several buildings already built but journalists found out the contrary. Officials motivated the choice declaring that EU norms and regulations rule that stray dog shelters need to be in the city outskirts.

Last but not least, Romania libera reads about the irresponsibility of local administration representatives when approving urban planning schemes in Bucharest. Public servants at the city hall admit they do not read the plans before giving them a green light. The paper highlights a decision taken in 2005 when with a single vote, city hall counselors approved 72 urban plans.

This is the success recipe of several highly controversial projects which destroy Bucharest’s looks since they do not respect its traditional urban look, according to the paper. It reads that even though counselors at the city hall pertain to various political parties, none challenged the vote.