What the newspapers say: September 3, 2010 

All newspapers on Friday read about the governmental reshuffling and the next steps. Newspapers also reveal more about the new ministers proposed by PM Boc. Elsewhere in the news, clients rise against banks like BCR and Volksbank, preparing a collective lawsuit. Last but not least, Romanian Ruxandra Medrea, co register of a documentary became famous after the movie was first in a Rotten Tomatoes top best 2010 movies.

All newspapers today read about the government’s reshuffling and the next steps. Gandul reads that PM Boc announced the list of the six ministers on the black list and the names of those who will replace them. The Finance portfolio will be taken over by Gheorghe Ialomitianu, the Agriculture Valeriu Tabara, Labor – Ioan Botis, Transports – Anca Boagiu and Communications – Valerian Vreme and Economy – Ion Ariton.

The Prime Minister declared that Adriean Videanu, Radu Berceanu and Gabriel Sandu resigned so that their political experience be fully used by the party. PM Boc declared that the main priorities of the government are to continue reforms and register economic growth in 2011.

Evenimentul Zilei reads that even if PM Boc managed to keep his seat, his position is even more vulnerable than it was. If initially Boc wanted to change 2-3 ministers, he had to give in to a wider reshuffling plan.

However, this move does not guarantee that the government will survive to a new motion of censure from the opposition.

The newspaper reads that Boc saved his own position by sacrificing Radu Berceanu and Adriean Videanu.

Agriculture ministry – Valeriu Tabara – It is not for the first time that he leads the ministry, he was minister of Agriculture between 1994 – 1996. He is Deputy of Timis, vice president of the Timis PDL branch.

Transports ministry – Anca Boagiu – PDL Senator, with close ties with the President. She was the youngest minister Romania had since WW2 at 32 years old and the first woman to occupy the Transports minister position. She is vice president of the Senate.

Labor ministry – Ioan Botis – PDL deputy of Bistrita, North Romania. He has close ties with PDL vice president Ioan Oltean. He was deputy mayor of Bistrita between 2001- 2004. For 4 years, he was executive director of the County Labour Agency n Bistrita. He is a supporter of an increase of pensions up to a minimum level of 850 lei/month and a gradual increase of pensions.

Economy ministry Ion Ariton – PDL Senator, former prefect of Sibiu, central Romania with close ties with Vasile Blaga. He is an economist and is one of the oldest members of the party.

Finance ministry Gheorghe Ialomitianu – PDL deputy of Brasov, with close ties with PDL vice president George Scripcaru who is also the President of PDL Brasov branch. He is a supporter of taxes for unjustified incomes.

Communications ministry Valerian Vreme – PDL Deputy of Bacau, with close ties with Theodor Stolojan. He was President of PDL Onesti in 2007. Vreme declared he does not sustain the VAT increase but endorsed the 25% cut of salaries and the 15% cut of pensions.

Evenimentul Zilei reads that people rise against banks, as over 100 Volksbank and BCR clients plan a collective lawsuit against banks to challenge decisions taken by the bank to change the calculus of interest rates following a series of regulations introduced in this regard recently.

Volksbank, Raiffeisen, BCR, Bancpost are just some of the banks whose clients decided to seek justice to court, dissatisfied with the way they were treated. Most accuse banks of increasing interest rates without informing them.

About 100 BCR clients met last night to set up strategies, while they are discussing on the internet about setting up groups to represent the interests of unsatisfied customers. To have a chance against banks, clients set up a collective entity.

Romania libera reads about Romanian Ruxandrea Medrea, co-director of the L’Enfer d’Henri Georges Clouzot. The documentary was placed first in a Rotten Tomatoes best 2010 movies and benefitted from favorable reviews in famous English publications.

The story was made by Ruxandra Medrea and Serge Bromberg and received the Cesar for the best French documentary. Not only that it quickly gained grasp in France, but the movie swept the American space as well. NY Times, Financial Times, The Guardian, Village Voice, The Observer, Globe and Mail wrote extensively about the documentary.